The Mystery of Marriage
by SolidBlack
Summary: They woke up far from home, married, pregnant, and with no recollection of the last few months. Harry and Hermione team up in this epic story to determine who is behind their situation. Will they solve the mystery of their marriage? Or fall apart?
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to Mystery of Marriage! For those of you joining us fresh, welcome! Please take a look at our profile for a little background and history on James and Marina! For our faithful readers, we thank you so much for sticking with us and we want to let you know that this fic is outside of the Power of Love universe (so it does not fit in with the events in Power of Love or Something to Believe in). **

**Now, on to the show! Er...story! Please, take the time to review! It just takes a minute and it really helps James and I get motivated and get creative!**

**James & Marina**

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It was the first time in a very long time that Harry could remember, or rather not remember, having had any nightmares in the course of a night. He had a very good dream about falling in love and getting married, which gave him hope that he was meant for something more than fighting dark lords and their sadistic followers. In fact it gave him hope that there was a girl out there for him after all. All his friends were going out and getting married, starting lives after the war, now that they knew they'd live long enough to enjoy it. Ron was happily married to Luna Lovegood; Ginny was seriously dating Oliver Wood. Even the twins had found significant others in Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson. In fact, the only person Harry knew that hadn't found someone was Hermione. She'd had an on again off again relationship with Ron until she couldn't take his almost nonexistent emotional capabilities anymore and broke it off.

Since that day, Harry and Hermione had decided to start a new tradition. When Valentine's Day rolled around, if they were both without a Valentine, they'd spend the day together and wax poetry about the lack of love in their lives. This year was going to be the first one they spent together and Harry had admittedly been excited. He'd even been planning on pulling out all the stops; if they had to mourn the lack of love together, they'd at least do it in style.

A wrench was thrown into that plan, however, as Harry slowly awoke from the good dream he'd been having. He got the distinct impression, as he tried to rouse his sleep addled mind, that he wasn't alone in bed today. He felt something warm and soft curled up quite nicely against the front of his body. He could tell that one arm was draped over this luscious object and the other was curled under it. Giving a soft squeeze of his hand Harry found that he was holding onto something soft. In fact, as the sleep left his mind more and more, Harry could remember a few night at Hogwarts where he'd found a broom closet with his girlfriend at the time and they'd have a serious snog session that included some heavy petting. If that memory served him correctly, then he was currently grasping onto someone's breast. Opening his eyes slowly, Harry found his already blurry vision further obstructed by a brown mass.

He blinked a few times to clear his vision as best he could without his glasses. It was then he realized this brown mass was bushy brown hair. And it looked startlingly like the hair of his best friend, Hermione. "Oh, bloody hell!" He tried to keep as quiet as possible, for fear of waking up whoever this person was. He needed his glasses so he could see them more clearly. Therein lay the problem. If he moved to find his glasses, with the position his arms were in, he would most assuredly wake his sleeping partner. Seeing as how this person reminded him of Hermione, it could potentially be a bad thing.

Hermione wondered briefly if she had slept the entire day away. Instead of the normal aches and pains associated with waking up, she felt refreshed and renewed for once. Currently her job as a researcher for a potions firm based out of central London known as Ars Alchima had sapped the life out of her; she would get up and go to work for six in the morning and slog home at night well after midnight. Ah, but it was a small price to pay for cures to Lycanthropy and the Dragon Pox, right? Still, the job not only exhausted her, but it had completely trampled her so-called love life. Ron and she had broken it off last year after almost five years of serious dating when he told her, in no uncertain terms, that they were either going to get married immediately or forget it. And with deadlines calling, sick people in need...once again, Ron had taken second place. At first she felt terrible...but as he moved on with Luna Lovegood and started his family, she really stopped lamenting over it.

But the potions lab practically shut down for Valentine's Day. The researchers knew it was one of their only opportunities to make up the lost hours with their significant others and loved ones. And the first year after her breakup with Ron left Hermione all alone on Valentine's Day. That was, of course, until Harry—who had just ended another parasitic relationship with an American bimbo named Cherry—called her and they got to talking. And so the tradition began, they'd spend Valentine's Day together so neither felt lonely. So, that's how she planned to spend it this year...and truly, there was no other man she'd rather spend it with.

That's why her current predicament was so striking...Hermione yawned softly and stretched. She stiffened as soon as her leg bumped against someone else's leg and she noticed that there was an odd warmth building in her thighs. Another gentle squeeze of her breast alerted her as to why that was happening; apparently someone wanted to get a good feel. All of a sudden the languidness she had been feeling exploded and she sat bolt upright, turning to stare down at the man who had been fondling her. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out but a bloodcurdling scream.

Harry should have tried to get out of the bed when he had the chance. Really, looking back on it now, it was foolish to stay there and pray that the girl with him didn't notice. With them pressed so closely together, and one of his hands on her breast, it would mean this person was a half-wit if they couldn't tell something was up. As soon as the girl sat up, apparently as surprised about it all as Harry was, he realized it could be no other person than Hermione…especially when she screamed. He'd heard her scream like that, mostly when being tortured by one of Voldemort's followers; he'd recognize it anywhere.

He covered his ears against the sound of her scream and almost rolled out of bed. He was teetering on the edge but managed to stay on the mattress just barely. "Merlin, Hermione! Did you have to scream that loudly?" Slowly Harry reached out a hand to the bedside table…that was odd, his room wasn't supposed to have a bedside table. Maybe they were in Hermione's room. In moments Harry's hand found his glasses and he slipped them on. Now getting a good look Harry noticed that the blankets had flung off Hermione's chest when she sat up and her breasts were very much exposed to his view. Harry slowly pointed and found his voice not wanting to cooperate, "H-Hermione...not that I don't enjoy the view b-but you might want to cover up."

In her haste to scramble away from him, Hermione didn't realize that her breasts were completely exposed. Gasping, she grabbed for the sheets and tugged them up over her body. But it didn't seem to help any, "If you didn't notice, Harry, you seem to be naked as well." At least from the waist up he was exposed. Deciding to be bold, she quickly lifted up the blanket and then pulled it back down just as fast. "Harry, did we…?" She let her voice trail off, her eyes widening with a mixture of fear and confusion. What the hell had happened?

Harry had indeed noticed that he was exposed from the waist up. Not like it was a big deal, they were both raised in the Muggle world where a guy going without a shirt was commonplace, even if it wasn't in the Wizarding world. But Harry could deduce facts as well as Hermione could, especially since he felt a tiny draft when she lifted the blanket. If they were both completely naked and in bed together… then it was probably safe to assume that they had done… _that_.

Deciding to see for himself, Harry grabbed the covers and lifted them up. He was indeed naked. Looking over while he had the chance, Harry discovered that Hermione was indeed naked as well. What shocked him was that she was in remarkable shape except for a small bit of weight around her middle. He quickly pushed the covers down as a blush crept over his cheeks, "Sorry, 'Mione…couldn't help myself." He looked down at the mattress between them, trying to avoid her eyes as much as possible. Could it be that Harry had shagged his best friend and didn't remember? It certainly seemed that way. "Umm...I think we did, 'Mione." Pathetic, the farthest he'd ever been with a girl, and Harry couldn't even remember it. So much for the Boy-Who-Lived; they should have changed his name to the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Shag-His-Best-Friend-And-Not-Remember-A-Bloody-Thing!

Blushing deeply, she nodded. They must've had sex...there was no other explanation as to why her thighs were sore or for why she felt so sated. Had she really lost her virginity and not known it? When Harry lifted up the blankets, she frowned, "I'll have you know that I didn't look at you when I checked." But turnabout was fair play, she lifted up the blanket again but this time there was enough light in the room to illuminate something she never thought she'd see. Scrambling out from under the covers, she stalked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. "Harry...we have a problem."

Harry nodded his head. After realizing that she couldn't see the motion from in the bathroom, he spoke up. "Yeah…I'd say so." He got up and found a white cotton bathrobe on the nearby chair with a hotel logo on it. Over the breast it had the words 'Mr. Potter' embroidered in fancy lettering. Slipping it on, Harry looked around and noticed that the room looked like a very fancy hotel room, certainly expensive. "We have two problems, 'Mione. One, I have no clue where we are but it looks like a very nice hotel…" Noticing another bathrobe which must have been for Hermione, Harry grabbed it only to go wide eyed with shock. He walked to the bathroom and held it out for her, "Two problems."

Grabbing the robe from him, she rolled her eyes when she read the emblem on it, "Mrs. Potter...why in the name of Merlin would I have a Mrs. Potter robe?" She snarled, but then it hit...it crashed over her, sending her reeling back. Unthinkingly, she hand connected with her abdomen and she let it rest there for a moment. Turning back toward the mirror, she looked down, poking the swell there for a moment before she turned back to him. "We've got a hell of a lot more than two problems, Harry. One I want to know how we got here," She allowed him to help her put the robe on, "Two, I'd like to know what the hell day it is...and maybe that'll explain why I'm pregnant enough to be **showing**."

Harry nodded his head as Hermione examined the evidence. This is what she did best, solving problems. Harry wasn't stupid, but he was better equipped for fighting than detective work. It was one of the reasons he'd decided not to go into the Auror Department, too much problem solving. No, instead he worked as an Unspeakable in their combat branch; although, that was a well guarded secret that not even Harry's closest friends knew about. "Before we figure out how we got here...we need to figure out where here is." He did agree with her on the other points though. Walking over to the curtains back in the sleeping room, Harry pulled them aside and sighed. "Well that explains that." He motioned toward a view of a giant stone Colosseum. "You always said you wanted to visit Rome, right?"

Bundling herself tighter in the robe, Hermione tried to think about what had happened. She remembered coming home from work and flooing Harry...after that, nothing. But this wasn't like an obliviate where chunks were missing and she had no idea they were gone; this was a giant blur...she didn't know where the time went but she knew that it was missing. This wasn't a spell they were dealing with. As Harry pulled back the curtains she found herself gob stopped. Rome? They were in Italy...Merlin's balls, something odd was going on around here. "I did want to visit Rome but...I'd like to how I got here." She threw an accusatory glare at Harry, "Didn't you hear me? I'm pregnant!"

"Merlin, Hermione!" Harry shied away for a bit when she yelled at him. "I'm sorry… I guess it's just starting to register. I was actually hoping you'd say that you had been slacking on your workouts and gorging on chocolate frogs." Harry walked up to her and uncomfortably wrapped her in a hug. Normally a hug between friends in a highly emotional state was common for them; they were best friends after all. But seeing as they'd apparently slept together, gotten married (if the robes were any indication), were having a baby together, and remembered not one bit of it...well it was a little weird to hug her. But he felt this situation warranted a hug and Harry always trusted what he felt was the proper course of action. "We'll figure this out."

Pulling away, she shook her head, her heart pounding. "No, no this is not going to be okay. We're married, I'm pregnant, we somehow ended up in Rome and this doesn't make any sense!" She began to pace back and forth, one hand resting on her belly, the other jammed through the mess of curls on the top of her head. "We're obviously not hung over...and seeing as I've got a baby inside me, I don't think I'd be that stupid." Turning to him, she threw up both her hands in resignation. "What do we do? This could be some elaborate hoax! Who even knows if this is your baby?"

Harry sat down heavily on the bed and ran his hands over his face. "I don't know, 'Mione. I'm as lost as you are. I can't remember anything between when I was getting ready to prepare things to spend Valentine's Day with you, and when we just woke up. And seeing as we don't know what day it is...that could be any stretch of months." It had to be in terms of months. He remembered some of his basic healing classes for the Unspeakables; girls took several weeks to start showing, usually between eight and twelve. "Don't take this the wrong way but... I hope that is my baby. That's at least better than wondering who else could've done it."

For one split second, Hermione almost felt like Harry cared about her. He wanted her to be carrying his child? She nearly smiled...but of course, he was being practical as usual. Instead of taking out her hurt on him, she sighed heavily and sat down next to him on the bed. "I remember coming home from work and flooing you...after that, I don't know what happened. But if this is anything to go by," She motioned to her belly again, "I'd say that something happened that set all this in motion. It has to be at least April by now...maybe even May. How could we lose two or three months of our lives?" Dark brown eyes met green as she turned to him, "Someone has done this to us, Harry…and I want to know who it is."

Harry nodded, "I know, I do too. Besides, we're Harry Potter and Hermione Granger…err…Potter. You're the smartest witch of our generation and I'm arguably the most powerful wizard. I doubt someone could cast this powerful a spell on me and then you, or the other way around, without one of us fighting back. I mean, you helped me defeat Voldemort...and as far as I know, not even he could have pulled something like this off." Harry shook his head and absently wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "I want to know who did this too, 'Mione. We just need to do like you always told me when we were back in school. Take it one step at a time and work through the problems as they arise."

The things he did to her...and he didn't even know. Hearing his last name tacked on to hers, his arm around her, his child within her womb...it was sort of like every fantasy she'd ever had come true. But taking advantage of this situation was not right. They had a mystery to solve. "If you told me six months ago if I'd one day wake up in Rome, married to my best friend and pregnant...I'd have had you committed."

Harry chuckled at that, nodding his head in agreement. "I'd have supplied you with a list of places I'd like to stay during my time in the penitentiary." Harry gave her shoulders a squeeze and got up. He couldn't be too close to her like this for too long. He'd liked Hermione as more than a friend for a long time. At least since that day in fourth year when she'd come to the first task of the tournament to make sure he was holding up alright. He'd given up quickly when he learned that Ron had the hots for Hermione. That was part of being Harry Potter, sacrificing his dreams and wants for his best friends...for the good of the Wizarding world. Hell, back then it would have been unfair to any girl to be with him; he never knew if he would live through the war, especially after fifth year when he'd learned of the prophecy. Being with her like this, seemingly married to Hermione, her possibly having his baby, and being in Rome alone with her...it was everything he'd ever wanted. If only he could remember how'd they'd gotten here. He did not like the circumstances that found him in his dream predicament.

Leaning forward, she sighed heavily and let her hands cover her face. "What are we going to do, Harry? Why would anyone do this to us? What could possibly have possessed them...?" What could the reason possibly be? Surely it wasn't malice; this wasn't the kind of situation that two wizards nearing thirty would crumble under. And it surely wasn't making any sense...Hermione decided then to just accept it. "Well, dear husband, let's go get some breakfast...then I'd like to try and get to the bottom of this."

Harry slowly turned to look at Hermione. He's felt a swell in his chest when she'd called him husband. "I like how that sounds, wife." He hadn't realized he'd spoken out loud. Well, now he realized it, but he hadn't when his mouth took on a life of its own. "Sorry, speaking without thinking again." He looked around the room again, his eyes settling on one of the in-room dressers and the closet. Clothes must be in there. Harry pulled open the top drawer of the dresser and almost immediately closed it again. "That must be your drawer." He was blushing furiously now, although he didn't know why. Considering they'd obviously been sleeping together and had obviously just seen each other naked, Harry didn't understand why knickers made him blush. Must have been the whole not remembering anything part of the deal. He quickly pulled out some of his boxers from the next drawer down, and slid them on under the bathrobe.

Hermione marveled at him for a moment. He liked being called husband? It was true wasn't it? They were married...when she stood up to look for clothes she found that there was a single piece of paper on the nightstand. "This proves it. We got married at the ministry...February fifteenth at seven forty-seven in the morning. Presiding was Wizengamot council member Amelia Bones...she might be a good person to contact." It was a start. They didn't have rings or anything but they were legally married. When she turned, she saw Harry changing and she quickly walked over to the closet and pulled out a dress. Well, someone had packed her spring wardrobe...and her winter woolies too. Either someone was a bad at packing or they had planned on keeping them here for a long time. When she moved to pull it on over her head, she let out a sigh...it didn't fit. Next she reached over and pulled a pair of robes; much to her dismay those didn't fit either. "Harry, we have another problem...I'm too big for my robes."

Harry sighed and nodded. "No problem. Robes are robes right?" He walked over to the closet and pulled out a plain black pair of robes. "Here, make sure this fits, and if it does, I'll transfigure it to be a dress or something." Harry had learned a lot about using charms and transfiguration in combat thanks to the Unspeakables. Well, he wasn't fighting, but the principle was the same. All he had to do was keep a clear picture of what he wanted it to look like. "Have a specific dress in mind?"

For a brilliant witch, Hermione knew surprisingly little about feminizing charms and fashion spells. She didn't wear makeup and she did her hair the muggle way except on very special occasions. Harry, though, he was a little bit more culture savvy. He handed her a set of his own robes and she blushed when she took them, "Thanks, Harry." Pulling them on over her head, she breathed a sigh of relief when they came down over the bump in her belly with only minimal tugging. Witches' robes were made so tight and revealing...men's were looser and better fitting. "I don't care," She said and then chuckled, "I'm married now, anyway. Why should I bother trying to impress?"

Harry gave her his classic lopsided grin and teased a little. "What, don't want to look nice for your husband? I'm hurt!" He gave her a mock pained expression before chuckling and waving his hand over her. A shot of white beam of light hit her just above the stomach and the robes shifted to a red dress that came down to just above the knees, with a little dip in the neck line to reveal a little cleavage. "There we are." He leaned in gave her a small kiss on the cheek. "Now my wife looks likes she trying to keep a spark in the relationship." He tried to be straight faced when speaking about it, but he couldn't help but grin. Harry quickly pulled out a pair of robes that hugged his muscled chest. He quickly changed and struck a runway pose. "So, this is Rome, think I have a shot at modeling?"

"Well I'm already pregnant, what's the use?" She fired back, the smile still playing on her face. Harry and she always got on well, even after school when things with her and Ron were shaky. He'd always stuck by her side...much like now when she stood before him not knowing what was happening or why. He easily could've walked away from her and the baby, not knowing for sure it was his or not. But he didn't, he loaned her some of his own robes to accommodate the swell in her belly and transfigured the black robes into a red dress that made her look like some kind of model. She braided her hair to keep it under control and chuckled as he posed before her, "Sorry Harry, male models with visible scars aren't in high demand. Besides, you get ogled enough as it is; modeling would only make it worse!"

Harry chuckled and dropped the pose. "Yeah, you're right. I don't need more publicity." A thought occurred to him then, and Harry couldn't help looking around the room. "Don't take this the wrong way, 'Mione, you know I'd do anything for you. But… until we figure all this out, can we try to keep our marriage under wraps? After fourth year when Rita Skeeter started that rumor about you and I...well, I loathe to think what she'd write about us if she found out about all this." He placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently, "At least until we get some answers that could lead us to finding out who did this to us."

For several moments Hermione was quiet as she looked over at him. She understood why he wanted to keep it quiet; there would be a media circus when anyone found out. "I won't say anything..." She said softly and then moved toward the door. "But this," She motioned to her belly, "I can't really keep it quiet and people _will_ notice. It's pretty noticeable now..." Looking down again, she just shrugged, "But I wasn't planning on making an official statements or calling Rita for the 'inside scoop'."

Harry chuckled and ran to catch up with after grabbing his coin purse and the watch Mrs. Weasley had given him for his seventeenth birthday. "Thanks, 'Mione. After this is over and we figure out what to do...then we can talk all we want about everything." It was more instinct, maybe muscle memory, when Harry reached out for her hand to hold it as they walked. Perhaps they had done this many times during the period they couldn't remember. "Besides, I wasn't expecting you to hide...that," He motioned toward her belly. "It's a little late to be trying to hide it, I think."

Usually Hermione wasn't very hungry in the morning but maybe it was a combination of being pregnant and not knowing if she'd eaten lately, she was ravenous. Deciding that now was not the time to be arguing over nonsense, she had moved to reach into her pocket when she felt Harry's hand brush against her and then move to grasp it. "Don't you think that holding hands with the pregnant woman is a little incriminating?" She asked softly only moments before a bellman walked over and smiled broadly, addressing them as Mr. and Mrs. Potter as he led them to a table. Looking over at her 'husband' she bit her lip, "Maybe being in Rome will help keep our cover from being blown."

Harry nodded and blushed slightly. "I didn't mean to grab your hand like that. It was more a reflex action. Almost like my hand is used to doing that," Again he wondered if that wasn't the first time. "I think it stands to reason, with everything else we've found out so far, that we've probably held hands in public before." After the bellman made sure they were seated and sent for the waiter, Harry smiled. "Besides, I think they expect that of us here. They did check us in as Mr. and Mrs. Potter. If we suddenly didn't act like what they've seen...which I suppose is how married couples act, then they might wonder if everything is alright."

It was still early and only a few people were up, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Most of them were couples although there seemed to be several businessmen loitering around. "I didn't mind..." She answered, "Men and women hold hands all the time without any huge ulterior motive." Although with her being noticeably pregnant, the staff calling them Mr. and Mrs. Potter, she knew that someone was bound to say something. "Now I'm starving, let's order."

Harry chuckled and asked the waiter for an egg, some sausage, white toast with butter and jam, and a glass of pumpkin juice. The man nodded as he scribbled on his little note pad before turning to Hermione. The waiter had long dark hair and was probably a waited just between modeling jobs. Harry didn't like the way the guy was looking Hermione up and down. Maybe it was the whole being married to her bit but Harry suddenly felt like this guy was encroaching on his territory. Deciding to intervene and subtly let this ass know just who he was dealing with, Harry leaned forward and took Hermione's hand gently. He shot her a loving look and smiled. "What would my lovely wife like to eat?" That wiped the smile off Fabio's face.

Everything looked delicious on the menu, but Hermione was craving eggs, ham, and pancakes. She was going to enjoy her pregnancy and that was that. As she looked up, she found herself staring into the startling blue eyes of a very attractive man. And he seemed very interested. When she smiled, though, Harry went on the defensive as he called her wife. She thanked the waiter, ordering her large meal with some pumpkin juice before she turned back to Harry, "What is the matter with you? One minute you don't want anyone to know we are married...and the next you're telling the waiter and there are people within earshot."

Harry watched the waiter go before turning back to Hermione. "Sorry…I know, I kind of screwed up there." He looked down at the table and slowly let go of her hand. "It's just...well, I didn't like the way he was looking at you. And we're married, even if we don't remember the whole act of getting married." Harry shut up then. The Potter temper was well known around Hogwarts. When Harry got upset, he made sure people knew about it, and he always got revenge. In this case, that had involved shutting down the waiter's hopes of doing with Hermione that involved anything other than bringing her the meal she ordered.

"Come on Harry, he was just being friendly! Men in Italy have their pick of beautiful women. I don't even make the list." She grasped his hand across the table and met his eyes. "And if you don't trust him, trust me. I'm not going to be embarking on any relationships while we're married or I'm pregnant. Once we figure this out and dissolve the marriage, maybe. But not now, that'd just be wrong."

"Hermione in case you didn't notice...and I think earlier you did, I'm a guy. I know what those little looks we give mean. And that guy," He pointed off in the direction the waiter had gone, "Would have been on you the minute you so much as breathed in his general direction. Besides, you shouldn't say things like that. I've said it for years, you are beautiful." Her next statement hurt him though. Dissolve the marriage? "You want to annul our marriage?" He pulled his hand away slowly and ran it through his wild hair. So she didn't feel the same way he felt about her. Further proof that Harry Potter was destined to die alone somewhere, probably fighting a dark wizard like the good little scapegoat the wizarding world wanted him to be. "I know that this just kind of...happened and we didn't exactly plan any of it...that we can remember anyway. But," He looked up at her, meeting her eyes, "Well...is it so bad to be married to me? I won't force you to stay in this marriage if you don't want to be. I just want you to be happy, 'Mione. Oh, never mind." He looked away and sipped from the complimentary glass of water on the table.

It felt like a crushing blow had been dealt to her heart. He looked so...hurt. But at the same time, she was just saying what she thought he wanted to hear. It didn't make sense to stay in a marriage he didn't want; it would be cruel, he'd end up hating her. And Hermione couldn't handle Harry hating her. "Come on Harry, our marriage is a sham. I don't even remember what happened that night, neither do you. I think it'd just be better off if we parted on good terms." The waiter brought over her pumpkin juice and she thanked him quietly before taking a drink. "You're my best friend; I just want you to be happy."

Harry set down the water and sighed. "Maybe it is a sham but I kind of like the idea." He still refused to look at her. "I mean, yes, I could pretty much have my pick of girls just because of who I am. But all my relationships fail because none of those women understand me. They all think I like fighting dark wizards to the death and that I bless the day my parents died because it made me who I am today." Slowly Harry looked over at Hermione. "But you understand what it's like. You've been with me through the thick of it, seen me at my best and at my worst. Honestly, I think you're the best person for me Hermione." Jeez, it was like a floodgates had opened and everything inside him came pouring out. Weren't pregnant women supposed to be the ones with emotional instability not the fathers? "Truth is, 'Mione...I've liked you since fourth year. If you want to end the marriage then we can. But…I'd like to give it a try."

Of all he things he that she was expecting him to say, this wasn't one of them. He wanted their marriage to work? He wanted to be with her? For several moments she stared at him, her expression unreadable. Yes, he'd gone through a lot of bad relationships and hard times with women; she'd had the same problems with dating. She needed someone intellectual and strong, personable...Harry was all of those things. Taking a sip of her pumpkin juice, she nodded silently, "We can give it a try." Sitting back in her seat, she let out a soft sigh, "For the baby, at the very least."

Harry gave her a small smile. That was better than 'let's end it right now'. At least they'd give it their very best try, "Yeah…for the baby." The somber mood was interrupted when the waiter brought them their food. Harry ate in silence, thinking things through. They needed to figure out the date and the best chance for that was the day's newspaper. "We need a paper. Then we can see what day it is and what's been going on that we've missed."

The food smelled delicious and Hermione dug in without another word. She had finished her ham and was halfway done with her pancakes when Harry finally spoke up. "A newspaper would be a good idea. I want to know what has happened...I've probably been fired from my job, expulsed from the potions community." She sighed heavily, and looked around, "It looks like there's a stack of free Daily Prophets over there."

Harry chuckled, "Yeah, no kidding. I'm in ever hotter water than you are." He couldn't tell her specifics, but it was a safe bet the Unspeakables were looking for Harry as a deserter. He'd probably be brought up on charges and sentenced to Azkaban once he made it back to England. "I'll go grab one." He got up and walked over to the stand of papers. He was slightly amazed that the Prophet was in circulation out here. Normally, each Ministry had their own paper and he was almost certain the Italians would favor a local paper. But, here it was. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw something in the potted plants. And then there was the telltale click of a camera. "Shit," He muttered under his breath. Harry turned slowly back towards Hermione, getting a better look at the photographer as he turned. When he sat back down at their table Harry handed 'Mione the paper and spoke under his breath. "There's a cameraman in the bushes over by the front desk. He was taking my picture." He shot a quick look over and then back at Hermione. "It looked like Colin."

Dabbing at the syrup that had dribbled onto her chin, Hermione watched as Harry hurried back over to the table and leaned in to inform her that someone who looked like Colin Creevey was snapping photos. Turning around, she frowned when she saw the rustling of leaves behind a thick shrub right by the lobby door. Standing up—albeit awkwardly in her newly pregnant state—she stalked over and reached into the bushes; she grabbed for Colin and ending up with his camera in hand. "Colin Creevey, _what_, in Merlin's name, are you doing here?"

Harry stormed over after Hermione and frowned at the younger man. He looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "You know, Colin, we were friends back in school. And I like to think we're friends still to this day." He crossed his arms over his chest and gave Colin a look that clearly said this wasn't a friendly gesture. "You could have just asked for a picture like you used to in school. No need to hide in the bushes."

Colin smiled shyly and nodded. He composed himself for a moment before gathering his strength to say what needed to be said. "I'm here on business, Harry, nothing personal." He snatched the camera back from Hermione and started taking photos again. "I'll thank you to be gentler with the Prophet's equipment." He was brave behind the camera, a typical paper photographer. "So, the world wants to know why you two got married without a lavish ceremony and why you took off without a word. You're the hottest news right now." He lowered the camera and fixed them with an accusatory glare. "And your friends would like to know why they weren't invited and had to find out from Rita Skeeter. She was showing copies of the marriage license in the Prophet the day after Valentine's Day."

Hermione frowned markedly, "It's always personal when you're dealing with your friends, Colin. Stop taking pictures of us like we're celebrities...I'm sure you have enough film to make your point." She frowned harder when he mentioned that everyone in the wizarding world knew they were married. "So you're telling me that everyone knows already?" She folded her arms over her burgeoning belly and shook her head, "Something very strange is going on here..." And how did Colin know where they were anyway? "And Rita Skeeter is involved too?" Yes, there was something going on. Grabbing another paper, she groaned, "May twenty-first...that means we've been married for over three months. It's no wonder I'm showing." Damn it, she hadn't meant to let that slip out...

Colin lit up like a kid at Christmas when Hermione let that bit about her pregnancy slip. "And you're pregnant? Oh, I'm definitely getting that staff photographer job now." He started taking pictures immediately, this time making sure to include shot of her stomach. "Of course everyone knows! Death, births, and marriages are all public record. When you two disappeared, Rita decided to find out where you went and that meant finding your last known sighting. As it happens, Director Bones was very forthcoming in an interview about how she played witness for the ceremony."

Harry could feel his anger rising when Colin started snapping off pictures again. They had just asked him to stop. Hermione was only considered a minor celebrity, mostly by association with him and the last battle. But Harry was a major celebrity. He's saved the Wizarding World twice now; once as a baby and once in the second war. Still, he hated it and didn't want his wife exposed to this kind of thing. "We asked you to stop taking pictures." This caused Colin to turn the camera right to Harry to get a shot of his face. Harry's magic lanced out and shattered the device in Colin's hands. "Next time stop when we ask you to." He turned to walk away and shot over his shoulder, "Bill me for it, but if any pictures show up in the paper, I'll sue your department for everything it has and shut it down."

At first Hermione felt bad for Colin...but he had gone too far. "We asked nicely, Colin...the second time we don't ask as nicely." Her hand had unthinkingly come to entwine with Harry's as she stepped back. Colin's face turned a nasty shade of purple and he reeled back, running for the door as if he were eleven years old again. Hermione looked over at Harry again, "So we know the papers are involved in this...and I think now more than ever we need to talk to Director Bones. But first...maybe we ought to find out who is paying for this expensive hotel."

Harry nodded his agreement to Hermione's observations. "Yeah, Madame Bones should definitely be on top of our list." He was already headed toward the front desk when she had caught up to him. "I'm way ahead of you there, dear." The front desk clerk smiled and greeted the couple as Mr. and Mrs. Potter and asked if he could help them. Harry would give it to them; the place definitely cared about their guests at least enough to remember their names. "Yes, just out of curiosity. I was partying last night," Harry lied through his teeth. "You know how it is, I'm in Rome. Anyway, I seem to have drunk away the bit that remembers how much I'm paying for the room. Can you refresh my memory?"

The front desk clerk nodded. He understood; the two had been acting like crazy lovebirds since the moment they arrived (it was no wonder they didn't remember anything, they had barely left the room!). "But of course, sir." He pulled out a ledger and started to flip through it. "Ah yes, here it is. You aren't paying anything for the room, sir." He gave them a warm smile. "It was paid in full before your arrival and is paid through tomorrow. Your three months here is almost up. And I speak for the entire staff when I say it will be sad to see you both leave."

Feeling fully sated and slightly tired, Hermione tucked the paper under her arm to read at her leisure as Harry led her over to the front desk. Harry was careful as he went about asking for the information but the front desk clerk's words were shocking. She could feel Harry stiffen and her own mouth dropped slightly. This place was pricey...who had done all of this for them? "Who do we have to thank for the room? I'd like to send a thank you note."

The clerk chuckled a bit as if she'd asked the funniest question in the world. "I'm sorry ma'am. I can not tell you that." He closed the book and placed it back in its secured drawer. "There are specific instructions that the person paying for this has left. I'm sorry Mr. Potter; the person who paid for this room wished not to be identified under any circumstances...even by you."

In the bushes, a silent figure stared at the young couple, posture hunched. Tomorrow they would reenter society and the real trouble would begin. Here at the hotel they were malleable, controllable...but not in the real world. Slinking back into a shadow, the figure expelled a soft sigh before disappearing from sight again. For now all that could be done was watch and wait...


	2. Chapter 2

**Ladies and gentlemen (notice we do not say boys and girls), we take the time to remind you now that this fic is rated M for a reason! There is sexual content in this story as well as other adult concepts. If you are not of legal age of consent in your country of origin or residence, you take full responsibility for reading onward! We are warning you now, be aware that it may crop up _at any time_ in the future without a warning!**

**And now, on to the story! We really hope you do enjoy what we have in store for you...and there is some heavy drama headed your way!**

**Have a great weekend,**

**Marina & James**

* * *

Harry opened the door to the room they'd apparently been sharing for the last three months. He tossed his coin purse on the dresser and sat down in one of the comfortable chairs that occupied the left side of the room. "We need to get a look at those records. I don't know how but we need to see them. Maybe then we'll get an idea about how all of this happened." He adjusted his glasses a bit on a nose and sighed. "You don't happen to have any plans running around that amazing mind of yours...do you?" It was almost too much to ask. But, then again, these were the situations when Hermione always had a plan of some kind.

Flopping back on the bed, she let her hand rest on her belly as she thought about it. "We do need to see those records...they're a big clue to this, I can feel it." Scooting back so she was resting against the pillows, she thought about it for a long moment. "We'd need something to distract not only the front desk clerk but anyone in the lobby. I mean, we can't have anyone looking over and seeing you...otherwise we could get in big trouble. And I don't feel like going to Azkaban this evening," She teased and then let out a soft grunt. "My back is killing me!"

Harry chuckled. "Who says they'd see me? Or even get the chance?" he twirled his wand around and smiled. "I could always Imperious the guy silently. No one would be the wiser and we'd get the information we needed." Okay, so he might be suggesting an illegal spell but who would know? Besides, what he couldn't tell her was that as an Unspeakable, Harry was authorized to use unforgivable curses in any situation he felt warranted the use of one. And this most assuredly warranted the use of one. Standing up, he walked over to Hermione and sat down besides her. "Roll over; I'll give you a back rub."

"Harry, I don't think using an unforgivable is the way to go. If you got caught, we'd be in a lot of trouble. We just need some kind of distraction...do you have any of the twins' pranks on you?" A good dungbomb might do the trick or maybe some vomiting toffee; although, Harry would have to ingest it, not her...she was pregnant. When he mentioned a backrub, she smiled, "Really? Harry, that's so sweet of you." Rolling onto her side, she closed her eyes briefly, "Thanks."

Harry had given Hermione many a massage over the years and vice versa. Usually it was when one of them was feeling stressed out from exams or the war effort. But he'd perfected his technique on her by seventh year. Now, he was grateful for it. He slowly started to massage her lower back, just above where her belly had begun to swell out. "Well, it's the least I can do. I mean, as far as we know I played a part in getting you in this condition. So, helping to alleviate any back troubles you have only seems fair." He kneaded the muscles softly with his fingers. "You could always fake trouble with the baby, cramps or something. Pregnant women in need always demand attention. You know...this would be easier without your dress bunching up in my hands." Okay, so it was forward and bold but since she was more than a little pregnant, they'd obviously done more, right?

He had magic fingers, that's all there was to it. A few times he had given her a massage but it had been minimal contact, only touching her shoulders; there was never this level of sensuality to it. Letting out a soft moan as he hit a particularly sore spot, she arched slightly, "Right there, Harry." Her body began to relax, letting the warmth of him wash over him as they discussed a plan. "Sure, I can fake some cramps. I can just use the scream I did this morning," She chuckled...that was, of course, until he mentioned taking off her dress. Looking over her shoulder at him, she hesitated for a moment, "If it would make it easier for you...I don't have a problem with it. After all, we _did_ wake up naked together and we _are_ married."

Harry smirked and helped her stand up. He reached down for the hem of her dress and slowly pulled it up over her head. His hands brushed against her skin as he took the dress off. It was amazing to him how all of a sudden every little touch was erotic when it came to her. He had to fight back the urge to kiss her, but it was obvious in his eyes that he wanted to do it. He slowly laid her back on the bed and started to massage her again. "Yeah, that scream would definitely get some attention. I'd be able to disillusion myself and read the book when they're all attending to you."

As tenderly as if she were a baby, he helped her up off the bed and pulled the dress off her body. Her nipples tightened as she drank in the sight of him. His heated gaze left her unable to do anything coherent; she just nodded as he spoke of the plan. She'd agree to just about anything he said right about now. His fingertips grazed over her skin and she felt heat rising in her cheeks, "This feels so wonderful," She whispered.

Harry smirked at the sound of her voice. He must really be good at massages. Either that or she just really liked his hands on her like this. Chancing it, Harry let his hands wander up a little higher on her back, right between her shoulder blades. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss to the skin there before placing one on her neck. "Thanks, I do my best."

The tiny kisses he pressed to her skin ratcheted the heat building inside her a hundred degrees hotter. "Harry," She whispered softly, her voice slight ragged, "You are driving me bloody nuts." What was happening to her? She'd felt sensations like this before but never so intense and she never felt so desperate. Was this the buildup to the elusive orgasm Lavender Brown told her about in fourth year? Hermione thought it sounded rather dull, just regular old muscle spasms...but what Harry was doing to her was driving her up the wall. "Please, Harry..." She didn't even know what she wanted him to do, she just wanted to let go.

Harry couldn't believe the way he was making her feel. It was either lust or she really felt something for him. He was hoping it was the latter. When she begged for him to do something, he wasn't sure what and she didn't seem to know either. So, Harry did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed her shoulder and rolled her over onto her back. One arm snaked around her waist as Harry leaned in. His lips softly brushed against hers before crushing into them for a searing kiss. "Tell me what you want, 'Mione."

His hands stilled for a moment and she thought, briefly, she had scared him away. Maybe he didn't want her...maybe he was just being nice because they were married, she was pregnant, and he didn't want to ruin their friendship. But all of her fears flew out the window when he rolled her onto her back and pressed his lips to hers. Breathing heavily, she kissed him back with every ounce of strength in her body, "I-I don't know." She whispered, breaking apart for only a second before capturing his lips again, "Just..._please_."

Harry smiled into her kiss and nodded when she broke apart from him, "Alright." His hands traced up her sides as he kissed her again. His tongue snaked into her mouth, teasing hers by rubbing his tongue over her lips. Harry's hand slowly came up over her sides and gently brushed over her breasts. He kissed a trail down her neck before coming up to connect with her lips again. "Is that what you want? Or do you want more?"

Hermione succumbed to the feeling of his mouth on hers and his fingers coming up to gently rub her breasts. She'd found out, this morning, that they were incredibly sensitive...and they'd also grown quite a bit. As soon as they got back home she needed to order new undergarments; nothing that had been packed fit properly. Trembling slightly at the height of the pleasure he was giving her, she wrapped her arms around him, kissing him deeper, "_More_...please, more."

Harry smiled. He had power, both magical and political. Hell, he held two votes on the Wizengamot council thanks to being the political power of both the House of Potter and the House of Black (which he had taken over after Narcissa's death). But this was a new kind of power. "I'm actually glad you have no undergarments that fit. This would be taking longer if I had to fiddle with little clasps and lace trimmings." He kissed his way down to her breasts, taking one in his mouth and twirling his tongue over the nipple. The hand that had previously been rubbing that one slid down over the swell in her belly, moving between her legs. He gently stroked over the spot where her legs came together. He really wanted her and his pants were suddenly becoming very tight.

Hissing with pleasure, she arched her back for him as he brought his fingers to tangle in the dark curls of her most secret place. Panting softly, she kissed him again, "I want to remember what you feel like inside of me," She whispered, rapidly coming closer to the cusp of something wonderful. "Harry, please, I _need_ you..."

Harry slid a finger inside her. He explored her, getting to know her insides all over again. After a moment he removed his finger and sat up. "Are you sure?" He didn't need to be told twice; she _needed_ him, and that was all the confirmation Harry required. He quickly divested himself of his own robes before returning to kiss her. His hands ran over both of her breasts, playing gently with her nipples.

Hermione had never been surer of anything in her life. His finger slowly pushing inside her made her tighten even further, moaning for him. But she wanted him inside her; she wanted to feel his body inside of hers. There was no doubt in her mind that he created this child within her body...there was no one with more love in his heart than Harry. Kissing him passionately, her breath erupted in little spurts, "I'm sure, Harry, please..." She needed this...she needed him.

Harry grinned. "Your wish is my command." He reached down to position himself at the entrance of her body. Her eyes were glazed over with passion. He kissed her deeply before slowly pushing inside her. It was obvious that she wasn't a virgin anymore; the bulge in her abdomen was enough proof of that. But this felt like the first time for him. In truth, it was in a way. This was the first time they would be together that they would remember. Harry wanted it to be special. As he buried himself inside her, Harry whispered in her ear, "You're so beautiful."

Blushing from crown to soles, Hermione cried his name as he pushed inside of her. Unlike the stories of virginities lost, this was nothing but pure rapture (and of course, the swell of her belly gave her away was anything but a virgin). As he began to move inside of her, so careful not to press his weight too heavily on top of her, she exploded around him. The feeling of his hot, thick length inside of her crashed her down into a pit of molten lava...and nothing had ever felt better. "You're beautiful too, Harry. Handsome, strong..." She whispered, her body still tightening around him, "You'll be a wonderful father."

Harry found his rhythm like it was a bike he hadn't ridden in a long time. His body remembered doing this with Hermione, and it was all muscle memory, the one memory he'd never lose. She felt wonderful around him. Despite not being a virgin she was tight around him, and wet. He loved the feeling. She fit him perfectly. He rubbed her belly again softly as he kissed her. "You'll be the perfect mother."

Despite the fact that she had already come once, she could feel her body tightening in response to him twitching within her. She wanted him to come and soon...her body remembered the feel of him, his velvety length, the way he rubbed her breasts, the tender way he caressed her. On the brink again, she pressed her nails into his back, "Now, Harry..." She pleaded.

Harry had felt the tightening that signified he was near the edge. He loved the feel of her, and now that they were together like this, he remembered the feel of her at the least. The way she clenched around him, the feel of her skin against his, the taste of her on his lips. When she begged, it was more than he could stand. He buried himself deeper in her and felt himself erupt into a million pieces. He spilled himself inside of her and relished in the feeling of her all around him like this. "Merlin, you feel wonderful."

Wave after wave of pleasure poured over her, the feeling of him inside her was like nothing she had ever felt before. Breathing heavily, she held him tightly to her body, relishing in the smell of him, the feeling of his arms around her, and the taste of his tongue gently massaging hers. Shifting ever so slightly so he wasn't directly on top of her belly, she snuggled against him, "That was...dear Merlin, I don't think there are words." Looking into his eyes, she knew that there was no one else she ever wanted to share this with. And it scared her more than anything else in the world...

Harry gently rolled to the side so he would crush the baby with his weight. He held her tightly in his arms, his hands rubbing gently against her back. "Yeah, the word wonderful pales in comparison to what it really was." He smiled at her and gave her another deep kiss. It scared him a little that he wanted to share this experience with no one but her. He was Harry Potter, he had never needed anyone before, had never let anyone in this much before. But she was there, right there to see it all. And he was frightened that he wanted it to be her.

He could have any woman he wanted at the drop of a hat; baby or not, marriage or not, he was still the most sought-after man in the entire wizarding world. For a long time she lay there, letting him hold her and stroke her back. But she knew what needed to be done; "Come on, let's go get that information. We really need to be getting back home. The sooner we find out who's been paying for this, the better off we'll be." They needed to take a step back, to focus on the task at hand. Otherwise she was going to end up head over heels in love with him (more in love with him than she already was) and that could only end with her and a shattered heart.

Harry was a little hurt that she'd push this aside so quickly for the information. He hadn't forgotten how important all that was, but this was special and important in its own right. He let the hurt show in his eyes for a moment before nodding and getting up, "Alright." He quickly dressed and checked to make sure that there wasn't anything that might hang loose and not be covered by his disillusionment spell. Satisfied that all was well, Harry turned to face Hermione, "Ready?"

Hermione could see the hurt in his eyes when she stood up off the bed and went to get ready. But what did he expect? Should she cuddle up with a man who had been forced into marriage with her? Hell, for all she knew he was just being nice because they were friends first...and they were having a baby. "Yeah, I'm ready..." She said softly and looked back at him, "Let's get those records."

Harry nodded and started toward the door. He held it open for her to go through and then followed after her. "Okay, you enter first and go to wherever you want. I'll disillusion myself as soon as they turn toward you, and when I'm done I'll come up acting like the concerned husband. Then I'll get you up out of there and tell you what I found out. Just don't let them take you to a hospital." He gave her hand a brief squeeze as they neared the lobby. "Good luck." He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss before walking over toward a brochure stand near the lobby door.

Nodding, she avoided touching altogether as she made her way toward the lobby. Immediately she walked to the front desk and started chatting with the man. She braced herself, stepping back and then let out a scream as she doubled over, clutching her stomach. Crying in pain, she started to tremble as the man rushed from behind the desk to help her and caused the other guests turned to stare. "Oh, the baby," She sobbed. "Please, something's wrong with the baby."

Harry had to give it to Hermione; she could act a part when she needed to. He twitched a finger and muttered under his breath. The slick feeling of a disillusionment charm swept over him as his body disappeared from sight. He moved slowly to avoid the picture through smoke effect that happened when a disillusioned person moved too fast, and soon found himself behind the desk. It took a moment to find the book, but once he did it fairly straightforward. For a Wizarding hotel these people sure didn't put any protective charms on their 'confidential' information. A moment later Harry had what he needed. He put everything back and ran back over toward Hermione, dropping the spell. "Honey, are you okay?"

Grasping onto Harry, she buried her face in his neck as he wrapped his arm around her. "Oh Harry, please, we need to call a doctor." She let out a short breath as if the pain had suddenly left her body. "I don't know what's wrong...it doesn't hurt anymore but I'm scared. We should pack up and head home so I can go to St. Mungo's." Looking over at him she grasped his hands, "Come on, Harry. We should hurry...I don't want anything to happen to the baby."

Harry nodded and helped her up. "Yeah, we'll go home and I'll see if Madame Pomfrey can take a look at you." He turned toward the works and guests who'd come to help Hermione out. "Thanks, I can take it from here." He led Hermione into the hall way and back to their room. Once there and the door was securely closed, Harry sighed and smiled. "You were good. I really thought something was wrong for a moment." He waved a hand casting silencing spells to ensure no one would listen in. "I got it. The room was paid for by A.P.W.B.D. I've only seen those initials once before, on the prophecy. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

As soon as they were in the room, Hermione pulled away from him and sat down on an overstuffed chair in the sitting area. "No, everything's fine," Hermione said softly and rubbed the bump in her belly. "You really think Professor Dumbledore would do this? What reason could he possibly have for paying for this room?" She narrowed his eyes, "Unless he's behind it...the man is brilliant and devious, I would not put it past him."

Harry shook his head. "I don't know. But sure did a great job of manipulating everyone during the war, moving us all around like pawns on a chess board. Especially me…" He sat down on the bed, trying not to think about how quickly Hermione had moved away from him. "I wouldn't put it past him either. But I can't figure out why he'd be behind it. He doesn't gain anything by all this. The only thing I can even think of is that it matters to him if I have an heir or not." Could that be it? Did Dumbledore know something they didn't about a Dark Lord who might come in another time, and thought Harry might not be around to stop them? Would he treat Harry's child the same way he treated Harry? Manipulating him or her into being a weapon? Not as long as there was a breath left in Harry's body!

Folding her arms she nodded, "I think it makes sense. He really wants you to be happy...and he's not above manipulating you to make that so. And maybe he thought I would make you happy..." Avoiding his gaze, she lifted herself out of the chair and quickly began packing up clothes. Of all the books she read and the friends she'd seen going through pregnancies, she knew that she shouldn't be using magic during the first trimester. When he mentioned an heir, she turned back around, "Do you really think he'd stage this to make sure you had a child? It's not as if you couldn't easily go out and impregnate the entirety of the female wizarding world. And why now?"

Harry shook his head and stood up. "I don't know. That's why it doesn't make sense. I don't know of any up and coming Dark Lords," With Harry's job as an Unspeakable, he'd be one of the first to know. "And the only reason I can think of is if he doesn't think I'll be around to stop the next one, so he wants my bloodline. But that just doesn't make sense. There are too many variables; too many ifs and not enough certainties." Harry waved a hand and watched as his things packed themselves. "You want me to pack that for you Hermione?"

"No, I need to move around and do something, Harry. I can't sit idle or this is going to drive me batty." She said and continued to fold dresses and put them in luggage she didn't recognize. When she finally stopped to look at the suitcase, she frowned, "Harry, since when do we own his and her luggage?" Embroidered with HP & HP, burgundy red, and looking frightfully expensive, Hermione pulled the tag off the suitcase and stared at it, "With best wishes to the bride and groom from Molly and Arthur Weasley." Throwing her hands up, she sat down on the bed again, "Nothing makes sense anymore!"

Harry's brow furrowed as he checked everything. He hadn't even noticed the luggage wasn't what he normally used. For Harry luggage was a black duffle bag magically enchanted to hold all of his things and still not weigh a lot. He'd never owned proper luggage. "If they gave us luggage to use for this trip...then they knew about the wedding, or at least ran into us afterwards but before we came here." He didn't like the implications that brought up. "Which begs the question...is Dumbledore the only one behind this?" He'd thought of Arthur and Molly as the mother and father he never had. But to think of them as being a part of all this...it made Harry sick that people he was this close to might betray his trust and manipulate him.

This was absolutely nuts...everything was so out of control. "Let's just get back home and then we can start at the beginning. But first I need to make sure my work hasn't gone to nothing...I can already tell you that my apartment has been packed up and probably everything I own sold. My landlord is like that..." She let out a heavy sigh, "Where am I going to live? Harry, what are we going to do?"

Harry walked over to Hermione and took her in his arms. "That's a silly question Hermione. You'll live with your husband...with me. And we have our choice of where we want to live. The ancestral Potter estate is up in Scotland, about thirty miles from Hogwarts. Grimmuald Place is where I was staying before all of this. And I was paying Dobby, Winky, and some Goblins to fix up the cottage at Godric's Hollow. I wasn't sure if I'd ever live there, it was more just to have something of my parents." He went quiet after that for a bit. After a moment he spoke again. "We can stay there if you want or at one of the other places. It's up to you."

Turning to him, she sighed, "Just because we're married by some twist of fate doesn't mean you have to take care of me. Really, it's going to be fine. I can make it on my own. After my parents died in the war effort, I inherited everything. With the money I made from their practice, from selling the house, and the money they left me in the will, I'll be fine." She really wanted to live with him; she wanted him to want that. But she wasn't going to be anyone's charity case.

Harry shook his head. "I thought we agreed to try and make this work? If for no other reason," He ran a hand over her cheek, "Then for the baby. Don't you think in a few months when the baby is born, that it'll be confusing when mommy and daddy are married but don't live together?" Harry looked into her dark eyes and smiled. "Besides, I want you to live with me. I was serious when I said I wanted this to work, Hermione. I want to be married to you. Sure the way we got into this is a bit on the shady side, but I'd still like to give it a fair try."

Tears welled in her eyes before she could stop them. Why in the name of Merlin was she crying? She was glad that he said that, that's why. Sniffling, she laughed softly, "Okay, okay, you made your point. I just don't want to crowd you...we may be married but we don't really know what is going on. It's just a lot all at once..." She sighed again and sat back again, her hand finding its way to the remnants of her waist. "If we can make living together work, we can make things work for our baby."

Harry smiled. "Hermione, we practically lived together for seven years at Hogwarts. Sure we were in separate bedrooms at the time, but...well it was pretty much the same thing. If we could do that for seven years then and not kill each other, then I think this should be a walk in the park." Harry waved his wand, gathering up the luggage and setting it together by the door for when they left. "So, did you want to leave today? Or stay through to tomorrow like our reservation says? I know we didn't exactly choose to come here willingly…well, as far as we know. And we've supposedly been here for three months but I don't remember any of it. Did you want to go see a bit of Rome while we're here?"

Hermione thought about it for a long moment, "Maybe one more night couldn't hurt. I have always wanted to see Rome. And what could it hurt? We're not paying for it, after all," she chuckled. She looked out the window again and smiled, "We still have all of this afternoon and evening. I mean, we don't technically have to floo home until checkout." Laughing again, she grabbed his hand and made for the door, "I might as well enjoy my honeymoon while I'm still lucid."

Harry chuckled and grabbed his wallet and wand as she pulled him toward the door. Out in the hallway he slung an arm over her shoulder, holding Hermione close. "So, what do you want to see first? The Colosseum, the Pantheon? We could even take a trip back to our Muggle days and go see the Vatican. I never was much of the religious type, mostly because the Dursleys never took me to church, but that still might be an interesting trip. I hear it's got a great tour."

Rushing out into the streets, she breathed in the heavy air of the city. "I want to see everything. Let's just walk and see what we find." She said excitedly, drinking in her surroundings until she nearly stumbled. She was staring up at the architecture and the people; she nearly tripped on the uneven road. Letting out a squeak, she grabbed for Harry and clung tight. After a moment, she blushed darkly, "Sorry..."

Harry's seeker reflexes never truly went away. Even after years of not playing Quidditch he still could catch a snitch like it was child's play. When Hermione tripped, Harry caught her quickly. He blushed right along with her and helped to right her, making sure she was on her feet solidly before letting go. "Don't worry about it. That's what you keep me around for, right?" He gave her a teasing smile. "Good to know at least that I can still play Quidditch if I need a job when we get back to England." He just hoped the Unspeakables weren't going to flip out when he suddenly turned up again. "Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?" He ran a hand over her, absently checking to make sure she was alright.

Smiling at him, she nodded, "I'm fine, thanks Harry." His arms around her had felt really good and she couldn't stop those feelings from flooding her. When he let go she felt almost empty inside, but his hand running over her body brought that feeling back. "I'm not hurt, just clumsy." She was walking slower now, her body closer to his. "I need to be more careful now. I've got to protect the baby." Looking over at him, she met his eyes, "And I don't know _why_ I keep you around," She teased, "I don't even know why I brought you around in the first place."

Harry clutched his heart in mock hurt. "You wound me." He stumbled a bit as if wounded before he couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. "Come on. Let's go see some sights, love." He stopped in his own tracks. He hadn't meant to call her love, it just slipped out. "I'm sorry. Slip of the tongue." He gave her a lopsided grin before looking off toward the Colosseum, "So, where first? Do you have anywhere in mind?"

Hermione nearly fell over again. It was bad enough that he had stepped away from her and she was left standing alone. She nearly went head over feet when he called her love. She tried not to let it get to her; of course he loved her like a sister of course. Although, men got arrested for doing things with their sister like they had done this morning... "Umm..." She said softly, "Let's not worry about the sights." She looked down again and bit her lip, "I just want to spend time with you. We can go get some lunch, see what we find together."

Harry smiled and stepped back over toward her. She wanted to spend time with him? Good. He reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Lunch it is. I hope you know how to speak the language, because I certainly don't." He led her off a ways down a large street with lots of people. There were shops all around, and Harry was certain one or fifty of them had to be restaurants, he just couldn't read Italian so he didn't know which ones. "Anything you two feel like eating? I could personally go for some Italian," He rubbed her rounded belly as he teased, "But I'm not sure if we'll find an Italian joint around here anywhere."

Nodding, she grasped his hand as the continued to walk down the street. "I know a fair bit...enough to at least get us some decent food." She answered, stopping in front of a tiny restaurant on the corner. "Since we _are_ in Italy, I think we should be able to find some decent Italian food." She chuckled and seated made her way toward one of the outside tables. "I'm not really craving anything...at least, I don't think I am. I could go for some nice pasta though."

Harry nodded and smiled, "Sounds good to me." He followed Hermione to the outside tables and seated himself across from her. The table was small, really only big enough for two or three people to sit comfortably. He reached over the table to hold her hand as a lady came over to get their drink orders. "I'll have a cherry soda." The lady nodded, eyeing Harry up and down, but he paid her no mind. Instead he dove right into trying to figure out what the menu said. He was horrible with languages, not even really all that good at English. But he would try. "I just wish I could read this damned thing."

Looking over at him, she couldn't stop her lips from twitching, "Harry...these menus are in English. The food just has elaborate Italian names." Laughing outright, she ordered a cup of tea. So far she'd been feeling fine but her stomach was a little unsettled now that she was walking around. "I think the pasta primavera sounds great...lots of veggies and cheese." Her mouth was already watering as she set the menu down, "So, husband, let's try and piece together what we remember while we have time to ourselves...away from prying ears."

Harry nodded. The menu was in English? He gave it another look. "Well, I appear to need a new prescription on these glasses." He chuckled at his own folly and smiled. "I'll have the chicken parmesan. Extra cheese, please." He set his menu down as the waitress walked off. "Alright, so...what do we know? Director Bones was our witness, so we should talk to her first about how it all happened. Apparently Dumbledore paid for the hotel and left instructions to not tell us that he was paying. That could mean he's in on the plot or possibly the one behind it. And the Weasleys, at least Arthur and Molly, might be in on it too, seeing as they bought us matching luggage before we left for here." He thought it over for a minute. "Did I miss anything, wife?"

"I'll have the pasta primavera, please," She said with a soft smile, using her best Italian to order. The woman taking their order grasped Hermione's chin and said something softly in Italian before setting an entire loaf of fresh baked bread on the table with real hand-churned butter. Hermione blushed and smiled, turning back to Harry again. "And Colin Creevey somehow knew where we were...not to mention Rita Skeeter and the rest of the wizarding world know we're married." Sighing, she looked up into the blue sky. "There are a lot of people involved here...but somehow they have to be connected." She didn't even notice that at a booth inside a figure peered at them through the glass, a menu over their face. Things were getting very dangerous...

Harry eyed Hermione and the waitress for a moment. "Yeah, I forgot about Colin. And the paper knows, Rita knows…which means the Prophet might also be behind it. Especially with how Colin was acting toward us, he could've staged all this to get that head photographer position." Sighing heavily, Harry shook his head, "That wasn't the Colin I knew in school, not the same boy who was part of the D.A and respected our friendship." Harry gazed over toward where the waitress had walked off. "What was that all about? Did she say something to you?" Harry could feel his anger rising. If that waitress had messed with his wife…he could already feel one hand tightening on his wand.

Okay so far they had five suspects: Albus Dumbledore, Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Colin Creevey, and Rita Skeeter. "Any one of them could've been behind it...or maybe they all were. But one thing I know for sure, someone set this up." She met his gaze and frowned, "There is no reason that two wizards should wake up and not remember three months of their lives. Especially not when one of them is mysteriously pregnant," She grabbed a piece of bread and began to butter it as Harry's ire spilled over her at the scene with the waitress. Hermione shook her head, "No, no it wasn't like that." She laughed, "I didn't catch all of it but the woman was trying to tell me I looked too thin to be pregnant and that she was going to make sure I got extra food."

Harry nodded and looked back toward the main part of the restaurant. "I'll be sure to leave her a bigger tip then." Harry's eyes widened and he reached for his wallet. "I just thought of something. Do we even have the proper currency? I hope someone at least gave us the right stuff or these people are going to look at us very funny when we try to pay with Galleons and Knuts." He sighed in relief when he saw paper bills in his wallet. "Well, at least that's taken care of. But then we have to wonder, is this someone else's money? Or did they also take the time to access my vault? That shouldn't be possible; I have that thing under so many locks and keys that even I have a hard time accessing it." He really didn't like the idea of someone taking money that didn't belong to them…even if it was to feed him and his wife.

Chewing on her bread thoughtfully, she smiled...that was, of course, before he brought up the fact that they wouldn't have any muggle Italian currency. Hermione was about to reassure him that she still had her muggle credit cards when he pulled out his wallet to reveal some strange paper money she'd never seen before. "Further proof that someone has set us up...how would we have eaten? And I'd assume because we're still alive and I," She motioned to her belly again, "am ballooning outwards, that someone has been feeding us."

Harry nodded. "I really don't like this. I haven't felt this lost in everything since Dumbledore told me about the prophecy. I don't like not knowing if my fate is my own or the result of someone's manipulations." He quickly drank down his soda and scratched his chin. "We need to get to the bottom of this fast. I don't want to even think about what would happen if the baby was born and we weren't sure who was doing this and why. Especially if my suspicion is right and the baby is the reason. Would someone try to take him or her? Until we know I will be constantly looking over my shoulder and worrying." And that was without even thinking about what Hermione would do. The protectiveness of a mother was not something to trifle with, as his mother's death proved.

"I agree...I don't like what we're up against here. There are a lot of people who could be involved. I'm sure we don't even know the half of it yet." Sipping her tea, she was glad that she ordered it; the woman had obviously had children and knew just what would help Hermione feel better. When he mentioned that someone might take her baby, she pressed her hand to her womb, "No...I wouldn't let them. I can't lose this baby." She was a little surprised by the desperation in her own voice. "I mean, if I'm going to carry a child for nine months, I want to keep him or her," Especially if that child belonged to Harry.

Harry nodded and rubbed her other hand across the table. "I won't let anyone take the baby either. I'll go down just like my dad did if I have to. They'll never get their hands on our baby. It'll be over my dead body." The look in Harry's eyes was enough to know that he meant it. He'd die to keep the baby safe; he'd die to keep Hermione safe. The waitress came back out moments later with their food. Sure enough, Harry noticed that Hermione's plate had enough to food on it to fill even the voracious appetite of Ron Weasley. That wasn't an easy task. "Well, she sure must think you're underweight. I don't even think _Ron_ could eat that much." Harry smiled at Hermione and winked at her. "Let's eat and worry about the rest after, yeah?"

"Don't say that," Hermione whispered, her eyes filling with tears at the mere thought of him dying. "I couldn't bear losing you. I want our child to grow up knowing his father...I know that's selfish but I just want it so badly. This baby is a new start for us. Your parents are gone, so are mine...I'm ready to have a family again." Hermione knew she wasn't getting any younger. At twenty-eight, she was practically an old maid. She'd heard tell that Padma Patil had four children now and her sister Parvati was carrying her third. When the food came out, Hermione laughed despite her fears...her plate was three times the size of Harry's and the old woman made it very clear that she wanted to see all of it gone before they left. "Wow...I think we better start eating or I may be ready to deliver by the time I'm finished." She laughed and speared a bite. "Oh Merlin, this is delicious."

Harry chuckled and dug into his own. "They don't make it like this back home. This is just further proof that there is no substitute for the real thing." Harry watched Hermione for a moment before setting his fork down. "Hey, you know I was only saying that I'd give my life for you and the baby right? I'm not planning on dying anytime soon. I want my baby to have parents like I never did. I was just saying I'll protect you both to the bitter end." Harry had never bought into the pureblood way of things; they seemed so archaic. If a pureblooded witch didn't get married and have babies by a certain age, they were almost assuredly not going to at all. And arranged marriages...they gave Harry a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He'd had hundreds of families, pureblood and otherwise, approach him with marriage contracts over the years and he'd fought tooth and nail not to give in. When he married, he wanted it to be for love. Now, with Hermione, he hoped that's what he'd gotten. He hoped she loved him as much as he loved her.

Eating hungrily, she nodded as he spoke. "I know, Harry. I just don't like thinking about it. I regret that I didn't spend much time with my parents near the end of their lives...as a child we used to do everything together. I was the only child so my parents were like my best friends. But when I turned eleven and got my Hogwarts letter, it all changed." Swallowing hard, she looked down at the swell in her belly, "I rarely saw them after that. I don't want that for my child..." She met his eyes cautiously, "...our child." For a while she ate in silence but there was just so much weighing on her mind. "Harry, since we have the time, can we talk about this morning? You know, when we..." She trailed off, trying to come up with the right words, "…made love?"

Harry nodded. "I understand, Hermione. I just wish that I could have ever spent time with my parents. You should treasure that you got to know yours. All I ever got was," He made a face like the name left a bad taste in his mouth, "The Dursleys." Shaking his head, Harry listened to her. "Yeah, of course we can talk about it." He was getting worried now. Had she enjoyed it? "Y-you don't..._regret_ it...do you?"

He'd had a rough childhood and she knew it; this baby was a new start for him, something to look forward to, a family of his own. It just saddened her that it had been thrust upon him without any regards to his wishes or desires. When he talked about regrets, she set her fork down and sighed, "It's not that I regret it. I'm just...I don't know. I was feeling sore and you were probably vulnerable. I feel like I took advantage of your kindness." She looked down again, "Everything is just moving so fast. I mean the last thing I remember, I was flooing over to your place to spend Valentine's Day with you. And now suddenly its three months later, we're married, and I'm pregnant..." Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed. "I don't regret what we did. I'm just sorry that it happened like this."

"I don't regret any of it." He pulled his seat closer to hers and wrapped his arms around her. "I'd have wanted this no matter what. Sure, it would have been nice to go about it in a different way—to actually have a say in it—but I'm glad it's you I'm with." He gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "I was telling the truth when I said I've liked you for years Hermione…at least since fourth year. I just never knew how to say anything, and then when you and Ron started dating, I bowed out. I wanted you both to be happy and it looked like you'd found that." He kissed her again. "I've wanted to be with you for a long time Hermione, so I'm actually kind of glad this happened...as long as it's what you want. I won't force you to be with me, baby or not."

He was nice...too bloody nice for his own good. It broke her heart that he wanted to put every life plan he had on hold for this baby within her. She smiled as he kissed her, making it chaste...as she could see the waitress giving her the signal to eat from her position in the restaurant. "That's sweet Harry, really. I know you're going to be the best father that ever lived. This child is so very lucky to have you." Grabbing her fork again she began to eat more, even though she was starting to get very full. "Let's just take it slow, okay? Your feelings could change, mine could..." She closed her eyes, knowing that these feelings weren't going away. "One day at a time."

Harry nodded and moved back over to eat his food. Why did he get the feeling she didn't believe him? He'd just have to take his time to make sure that she did get the point, he wasn't going away. He was here to stay for as long as she wanted him. "One day at a time… I can live with that." As soon as they were done the waitress came over and made Hermione take her leftovers home in a box. He couldn't hear what was said but he got the impression it was somewhere along the lines of 'eat this when you get hungry or else'. Harry chuckled and paid, giving the lady a nice tip. "So...back home?"

Hermione was flattered that the woman thought that she was so thin. Back home she wasn't considered fat but she surely wasn't as stick thin as Ginny or Pansy. She'd been solid her entire life, a little on the chubby side in her youth but she'd grown into her body. Now, her once flat abdomen was interrupted by a mound and her breasts, which she had always considered to be on the small side, were much larger than before. And with all that food the woman insisted on feeding her, she knew that she could easily gain two or three pounds from this meal alone. Holding onto the bag with their leftovers, she smiled as they meandered down the winding roads hand-in-hand, "Yeah, I think we should head back home...life is waiting for us back there. And it's time to go greet it."


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow everyone, we are just overwhelmed by the reivews and how wonderful all of you are! Thank you for your support, please keep reading and reveiwing! We want to know what you like and what you don't! To adress one review, which I did in a personal way (erm...although I don't know if it worked or not, lol), the reason that the characters are each posted in seperate paragraphs is because James and I [Marina are a team. I write for Hermione, James writes for Harry, and then I put the two together. I alter spelling, grammar, word chose, but very infrequently do I change where the location of the speech is. I'm sorry if that's hard to understand, we make a real concious effort to make things clear, but if there's something you don't understand or you want to talk about, please don't hesitate to ask!! Write a rewiew asking or send us an e-mail! I am usually very good about getting back to people in a timely manner!**

**We're here to please you! So thank you so much for sticking with us, keep being great, and have a wonderful weekend!**

**Marina & James**

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Harry had been worried about Hermione taking the floo. He had never had a smooth ride in blasted fire travel and he was worried that it would upset her or hurt the baby. His worries had been for naught; apparently Hermione was a lot better at magical travel than Harry was. In fact, the only time Harry could travel and not fall on his face or his bum was when he Apparated. But Hermione had gracefully stepped out of the fire place like it was no big thing. She'd even had the nerve to laugh at Harry who was flat on his face.

The couple had flooed to Hogsmeade, intent on getting checked up on for the baby. Harry and Hermione both were anxious to make sure that everything was alright. Aberforth had been pleasant, which made Harry worry. The man was never outright mean, but he usually had no patience for Harry. They quickly made their way down to the Hogwarts' grounds and toward the castle. With their revelation that Dumbledore was behind the hotel at least, Harry wasn't keen on running into the man. Still, it was safer to avoid a media circus by seeing Poppy, rather than going to St. Mungo's. "Here, 'Mione. Let me help you up the steps."

Harry smiled at Hermione when they finally reached the top of the steps and let go of her hand, though his other hand remained on the small of her back. He walked with her down the corridor toward the door that opened to the Hospital Wing. Harry couldn't help the memories that came back to him as they looked on the door before entering. "You know, I think I spent as much time _in_ the Hospital Wing when we were in school, as I did _out_ of it." He always seemed to get hurt and need Madam Pomfrey's care. He grasped the handle and pulled the door open for her, "After you, my wife."

As soon as the door opened a loud huff was heard. "Hermione Jane Potter, by the founders, I thought you had gone off and died!" Madame Pomfrey ranted as she stalked over to her, grasping her by the wrist and pulling her over to the bed. "When you came here for that pregnancy test I told you that I needed to see you every month to ensure the baby was developing properly. Why, I can just guess you haven't had any prenatal care at all!" She frowned and thrust a gown into Hermione's hands, "Put this on, we have a lot of tests to run through. I just hope that babe of yours is healthy as he was the last time."

Harry's eyes narrowed as Poppy spoke of the last time they were here. So, they had come to see her before, and had told them to come for regular check ups. He leaned forward to make sure Pomfrey was paying attention to him. "We've been in Rome for three months." He wasn't happy that everyone had known but them. "When were we here last, Madame Pomfrey?" That was a key to knowing how soon they had gotten pregnant. Harry was hoping that it was the day after they had gotten married; otherwise they had another piece to figure out. That would also mean that someone other than Madame Pomfrey might know about the pregnancy.

Hermione was galled...they'd been here before? When? Madame Pomfrey was roaring mad too; she didn't even dare speak while she took off transfigured dress and donned the hospital gown. Sitting on one of the beds, she watched earnestly as the angered woman went about murmuring incantation and charms, carefully rubbing Hermione's belly and feeling around for Merlin knew what.

Flipping through Hermione's medical file, she finally declared, "It was February twentieth. You came here to make sure that you were healthy enough to travel to Rome; it was very diligent of you. When I examined you I was astounded to find you were pregnant." She huffed, "You haven't been taking your vitamin potion either! Why, with the fertility potion you took, it's _imperative_ that you replenish your vitamin stores. It could cause tremendous harm to you and the baby if you don't!" She wagged her finger, "I can't believe you would be so very careless, Hermione."

Harry wanted to bite something. February twentieth?! That was five days after they got married, which meant five more days they'd have to investigate. Still, at least that was apparently the first that Madame Pomfrey and heard of any of it. That meant they might be able to trust her...might. She was still an employee of Hogwarts and Harry feared that if Dumbledore was behind this all, that he'd use Madame Pomfrey to get information. What the mediwitch said next sent Harry reeling back. His magic fired off and shattered some bottle along the far wall, "FERTILITY POTION!?" He was going to find who was behind this and skin them alive. Still that added more weight to Harry's theory about Dumbledore wanting him to have a baby. Why else would there be a fertility potion involved?

Jumping at the sound of his voice and at Madame Pomfrey's revelation, she shook her head, "I assure you I never took a fertility potion. I mean, it's not as if Harry and I wanted to have a baby right off the bat."

But the woman was not buying it, "Hermione, I have been a mediwitch for a long time. I know the Lucidem fertility potion when I see it. I don't know why, by Merlin, you'd use that when you're so young and healthy. It's not as if you need the strongest fertility potion on the market to get pregnant...why, you're lucky you're only carrying one child instead of seven or eight! "

Harry's fists were clenching so hard his knuckles were white. The barely restrained anger was evident in his eyes. Someone had wanted them to get pregnant. There was no other way around it. She'd even said it was the strongest potion out there and with all her experience, Harry was inclined to believe her. Who would do this to them? And more importantly, _why_; what was there to be gained by this? Harry started pacing back and forth, he needed to think, to figure things out. He stopped after a minute and turned back toward Madame Pomfrey. "When we came in here last time, were we acting like ourselves? Or did we seem...off?"

Madame Pomfrey furrowed her eyebrows, "Well, Harry, you weren't even here." She answered, "Hermione seemed a little distant...I didn't detect anything wrong. I just assumed it was newlywed infatuation. I saw you meet her outside and from there you were snogging so much that even Hagrid commented on it!" She chuckled and patted Hermione's shoulder, "I'm sorry I was so cross dear...I've been so worried about you. Ginny and Luna had the house all ready for you weeks ago. We were all expecting you back sooner than this! You had us all worried."

This was so strange...not only did Madame Pomfrey know she was pregnant but it seemed that Ginny and Luna were now a part of this too. "Is everything okay? Harry and I have had such a long trip...we'd really like to be getting home. I need to put my feet up for a good long while." That, and start really digging into this mystery.

Harry flopped down on an empty bed next to Hermione's. He hadn't been here? But he'd met her outside? Then where was he when she came to visit? Ginny and Luna were in on this as well? That made four Weasleys that had something to do with this. Was it possible the whole Weasley clan had been strung along by Dumbledore? They had a penchant for not asking questions as long as it was the Headmaster giving the orders. Was there no one besides Hermione that he could trust anymore? "Which house did they get ready?"

"Harry, are you feeling alright?" Madame Pomfrey walked over and pressed her hand to his forehead. "Why, Ginny received a note from you telling her that you'd be moving back into the Potter Manor after you came back. She and Luna have been keeping an eye on it for you and, from what I've heard, have done a fantastic job preparing the nursery for the baby." Patting Hermione's back, she gave her a quick dose of an extra strength vitamin potion and helped her off the bed, "Go home, rest up, I want to see you here in three weeks, Madame, and it is **not** an optional appointment!"

Nodding as she swallowed the acrid potion, Hermione promised. "I will be here." Making her way to the door, she turned to look back at the nurse, "Thank you for all your help." She said quietly and grasped Harry's hand again. Once she was sure they were out of earshot, she stopped walking and looked him dead in the eyes. "Something very strange is going on here, Harry...and I'm afraid of what it might be."

Harry stood up and followed Hermione out of the Hospital wing after thanking Madame Pomfrey. As soon as Hermione broke the silence, Harry stopped her and pulled her into an empty classroom. He cast several silencing charms, even the impenetrable charm, to make sure they wouldn't be disturbed. "I don't like it either, 'Mione. I don't like that it looks like all the Weasleys are in on this. It would make sense though if Dumbledore is behind it all. They don't tend to ask questions when he says jump." He ran a hand through his hair and then wrapped his arms around her. "And they've been inside Potter Manor. If they are in on this, then I don't like the idea of us moving in there. But we can't let whoever is behind this know that we suspect something is wrong. We should stay there and find out as much as we can. And we need to find out if they were told by us or someone else to clean the manor."

He was right; they shouldn't discuss their suspicions or fears in public. If someone was playing puppeteer, they would gain a lot by knowing what Harry and Hermione were feeling. "Do you think it's safe to go back there? I mean, we've known Ginny and Luna our whole lives...they wouldn't do anything to hurt us. But that doesn't mean someone isn't manipulating them. What if they threatened Luna's children or told Ginny they'd kill her brothers? Or if Molly and Arthur are responsible, they could be coercing Ginny without her even knowing..." It was ridiculous to think that the parents of seven children were manipulating them this way. But Hermione wasn't ruling anyone out just yet. "Or maybe we ought to go back to the manor and make it our fortress. The house elves are loyal to us. They'll make sure no funny business goes on and they can help protect us too."

Harry shook his head. "We can't ask the house elves to fight for us, 'Mione. Besides, as much as they are loyal to us, they are also loyal to Dumbledore. And if he's behind this then he could be getting information from them, and telling them it was for our own good." He really didn't like all this. It was almost too much to think about. "I say we go back, and do just like we did with Madame Pomfrey. We ask questions to find out what happened when they last saw us. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a clue as to who's responsible."

Dobby and Winky working for Dumbledore didn't even cross Hermione's mind. She bit her lip and nodded, "I trust you, Harry, and I know you'll keep us safe." Taking his hand, she walked over to the floo in the classroom, "Potter Manor!" She cried, disappearing into the green flames. She'd never been to this house before but she understood now why he liked it here. It was quiet and well kept, all wood paneling and family photos smiling away. It wasn't archaic like the Malfoy estate; it was modern while still remaining antique. "Oh Harry, this place is beautiful."

Harry followed Hermione a second later before stopping. "I can't believe that worked. I thought Dumbledore shut down the outgoing floo so only inter-school floo worked." That meant that maybe Dumbledore had known they were at Hogwarts. And if he knew that, then what else did he know? "Yeah, this place is great. It is three stories tall. First floor in the sitting rooms, kitchens, there's a game room with billiards and the like, and the massive Potter library. Don't worry; you can have a go at the books later. Second floor is guest rooms and amenities for them, as well as a second floor entrance to the library. And the third floor is called the master floor. The rooms are the sole property of the master of the house. It's got a huge master bedroom with master bath." he took her hand and led her through the house while he spoke, showing her everything there was to see. "The nursery that Ginny and Luna were working on, I believe is the one that connects to the master bedroom. It also has three master studies, one for me, you, and our children. And some other odds and ends like a dueling room."

Awestruck, Hermione stared at her new home openmouthed. This place was unlike anything she'd ever seen before! Not only was it spacious and well decorated, but it seemed to embrace her with its warmth and functionality. "Wow, this is amazing..." She halted when she came upon a room painted a buttercup yellow. Walking into the room she found a wooden crib, matching changing station, and boudoir. Just as he had predicted, it was adjoined to the largest bedroom she had ever seen, painted in terrific Gryffindor colors. "Oh I love it...I can't believe that this is really happening." Wiping tears from her eyes, she smiled. "Now I know why you love it here."

Harry nodded and smiled. He was glad she liked the home. It was a large manor house to be sure. The Potter family had always been a wealthy one, some said wealthy enough to rival the Malfoys. But they showed it in a different way. Where the Malfoys bought extravagant homes and spoiled themselves with their money, the Potters saved theirs and donated much to charities. In fact, Harry was certain the only reason his family even had a house this large was for appearance's sake. As they held a seat on the Winzengamot, it was expected that they have a house large enough to entertain guests in bulk. "I'm glad you like it. I want you to be comfortable. This is your home now too, so, anything you want or need...it's yours."

Blushing slightly, she shook her head, "Harry, really, it's perfect. I mean, our child would be so happy growing up here. When we were walking up the stairs I got a peek of the garden out there. Why, I bet Neville would just flip over all the different kinds of plants in there. I think I even saw some Narcissus, which is so rare these days!" Moving to sit down on a small daybed that would undoubtedly be used for midnight feedings, she patted the spot next to her and leaned her head against Harry's shoulder as he sat down next to her. "You know, maybe this meddling person didn't do such a bad thing after all."

Harry smiled and wrapped his arms around Hermione. "I never said it wasn't a good thing. In fact if I remember correctly, I was saying the opposite. I'm glad we're married and having a baby. My biggest problem is that someone took it upon themselves to do this. They didn't ask us, they didn't give you a chance to say no. They just did it, and dash the consequences." He kissed her on the cheek and smiled. "I just want to know why they did it, and what made them think they had the right to interfere. For all anyone knew you might have had a boyfriend and now you're stuck with me when you could have happy with someone else."

"Come on, me with a boyfriend? Harry, I couldn't even keep Ron happy and he was in love with me." She looked down at her belly again and sighed. "I was pretty much resigned to the fact that I had married my work and I'd probably die lonely and childless." She wasn't condoning what this person had done, "I just think that you got the short end of the stick here. I'm a workaholic, I'm anything but what you would be expected to marry. I feel bad you got suckered into this."

Harry put a finger under her chin and pulled her face up to look him in the eyes. "I didn't get the short end of the stick. You aren't the only one who's married to their work. I sit in the Wizengamot chamber for hours on end listening to boring speeches and bill proposals, and then I vote. And when I'm not doing that I'm mobbed by reporters asking questions about stupid things like if I should be nominated for Playwitch. It's to the point where my only job can be the Wizengamot because the reporters aren't allowed to mob me there. Everyplace else I'd be surrounded by cameras and unable to work properly." Except for with the Unspeakables, but that was a different issue altogether. "Face it, you got the short end. I'll pretty much be here at home or at the Wizengamot because I can't do anything else. Which means you're going to be seeing a lot of me."

Laughing outright, Hermione leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the mouth. "You always know how to cheer me up." She shook her head, letting one hand run over her frizzy hair. "I guess we're both going to be part of the media frenzy now too...and it's just my luck that I'm going to get enormous and there will be pictures galore out there." Looking down, she shook her head, "I've been thinking I ought to call Ars Alchima and tell them I have to leave until after the baby is born. I don't think I should be playing with airborne and easily transmittable diseases until I know I can heal properly."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea." He felt a tingle on his lips where hers had touched them. It electrified him, made him want to kiss her again. "We should inform Ginny and Luna we're back and get to finding out what they know." He leaned in and kissed her again. "And I have to Floo the Ministry and make sure that they haven't put out a reward for information on my whereabouts. There are a lot of lords and other members of the Wizengamot who were counting on my support of their bills."

"That's a good idea. But first, I need to go change into something more comfortable." Even the robes he had transfigured felt tight. When she stood, she bit her lip and looked down at him, "Harry, do I look bigger to you? I mean a lot bigger?" Taking a small step back, she placed her hands on her hips to show off her entire figure, "Tell me honestly, I want to know."

Oh no. Harry had been warned about questions like this. This was dangerous territory for any man to tread in. "Well, you do look pregnant. But last time I checked, that's how a girl three months pregnant is supposed to look. So I don't think it's a bad thing." He stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders. "This isn't like you, Hermione. You never used to worry about your looks before. I've always told you that you were beautiful and it's still true. Even if you don't fit into that dress you wore to the Yule ball anymore. Tell you what, soon as we get some more answers we'll go down to Madame Malkin's and buy you some clothes that fit. Sound alright?"

He was right, this wasn't like her...but she wanted to know what he felt. "I don't know, Harry...I feel different." She'd always been a healthy weight. Every year at her physical the doctor would tell her she was perfect, to stay just as she was. But now she had a noticeable swell to her belly, she felt bigger, less attractive. "I do need to get some things that fit...I'm not wearing any knickers right now because the one pair that I tried on in Rome literally ripped at the seams." It had been mortally embarrassing...and hadn't helped boost her confidence any. "Thanks for being a great guy, Harry."

Harry smiled and kissed her fully on the lips. His tongue teased across hers as his hands roamed over her back. When he felt the need for air, Harry slowly pulled apart. "You're still the most beautiful girl in the world to me, 'Mione." When she mentioned not wearing knickers, Harry let out a groan. "You shouldn't say things like that to a guy. It makes me feel all fluttery inside and want to rip your clothes off and have at you." One hand traced lower, running over her bum. "Oh, you weren't kidding. You really aren't wearing any knickers." He gave her a sly wink.

"Why don't you then?" She whispered huskily, staring into his eyes. The feeling of his hands running over her back, his tenderness as he stroked her body; especially his obvious arousal over the fact that she wasn't wearing any knickers sent her to new levels of pleasure. Kissing him again, she bit her lip and then pulled away. "I-I'm sorry, really, I shouldn't be such a...a...I don't know, a wanton!"

Harry only heard her tell him that she wanted him to take her. When she pulled away and started to apologize, he'd had enough. He grabbed her and pushed her back against the wall. He pinned her with his body and kissed her lips, teasing her tongue with his own. "I think I'll do just that, Mrs. Potter." He smiled at her with what he hoped was a seductive smile, and ran his hands over her body while he kissed her again. His fingers traced down to the hem of her dress grabbing it and gently lifting it up. Harry was slightly annoyed that he had to stop kissing her to pull the dress off, but it was worth it.

Hermione gasped as he pressed her back against the wall, "Harry!" She whispered breathily, "Be careful, the baby." But as her hand came down to rest on the bump she ended up brushing her hand against his firm erection again. She groaned, the fire starting to build inside of her. Before she even realized it, he pulled the dress up over her head, leaving her completely naked to him. "Not fair," She whispered and tugged at his robes until he was naked from the waist up. "Are you sure you want me when I look like this?" She whispered, uncertainty shimmering in her expressive brown eyes.

Harry grinned and moved her over to the bed. He pushed her gently back so she was lying down. He then removed the rest of his clothes and motioned toward his throbbing erection. "Does that answer your question?" He gave her his trademark lopsided grin and crawled up her body, kissing anywhere he could. He stopped at her breasts, taking a moment to take each one in his mouth and gently flick his tongue over the nipple. He kissed a trail up her chest to her neck, and then finally to her lips again. "I'd want you even if you looked like a hippogriff."

One of Harry's hands slipped lower on Hermione's body. He ran his fingers over the folds at the entrance to her most secret of places. He could tell she was wet for him, and it made him want to take her right there. But he felt the need to drag it out a little, to tease her. Harry slid two fingers inside of her, stroking in and out slowly. He wanted her to beg him. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to have her beg for it.

She certainly was not above begging him; in fact she was so desperate for him that she'd have promised him anything in the world if only he finished her. She panted and arched against his fingers, "Harry, please," She whined, undulating beneath him. "I need you, please. Stop teasing and finish," She grabbed him and dragged his mouth to hers again. Another burst of wetness trickled down and she moaned at the feeling, "Please, please."

Harry grinned as she begged him. He pulled his fingers out of her and used his hand to guide himself to her entrance. With a quick thrust he was buried in her to the hilt. Harry started a smooth pace to make it last a little. He loved being inside her like this. Feeling this close to her. It was heaven, it was true magic. His tongue battled hers while one hand came up to play with her breasts. He loved everything about her body; especially that she was carrying his baby. That added a whole new level of intimacy to it all. He could feel himself nearing the edge, about to topple over into oblivion. "Merlin, Hermione. You're beautiful."

The way he felt inside of her was like nothing Hermione had ever known. He completed her, filled her, and made her whole again. After her parents had died she thought that she'd never feel love again, but Harry had shown her differently. As her orgasm ripped through her, her body shuddering and crashing into sweet oblivion, she knew then that she had to hold on to this. As he burst inside of her she tightened her grip on him. She wanted to say a thousand things, to make him understand...but all she could do was cry his name.

Harry's muscles tightened as she clenched around him with her orgasm. He tumbled over the edge with her, the sound of his name coming form his lips rang in his ears. As he spilled inside her Harry had a thousand things he wanted to say. But only one came out, and it probably the most important. He whispered in her ear, "I love you." Plain and simple, but it was the only way to explain it.

More than anything in life, Hermione wanted to believe him. As he pumped into her and whispered that he loved her, she felt heat sing through her veins. But he was just feeling lust; that must be it. But still, it might be nice to tell him how she felt, "Harry, I..." She closed her eyes tightly, praying that she could say the words. But it never happened, "...I'm starving."

Harry would be lying if he said it didn't hurt when her only response was how hungry she was. He frowned slightly, but tried to hide it. Slowly he got up off the bed and summoned a robe to him. "I'll see if Dobby's around, maybe he can cook something up. Anything in particular you want?" He waited long enough to be told what she wanted and then left the room. He was kidding himself into thinking she could love him. How could anyone love someone whose only purpose in life was to be a weapon? He called Dobby and was grateful that the elf showed up. As soon as he sent Dobby on his way, Harry went to his private study. He could at least Floo his boss at the Ministry and hope he still had a job.

Rolling over in bed, Hermione began to cry softly after he stalked out of the room, promising that Dobby would bring her some blueberry ice cream and chocolate frogs. Why didn't she just tell him? She loved him with all her heart and soul...but she couldn't tell him that. He was just being nice, he'd eventually find someone else and she didn't want to have to make him choose (when ultimately, she'd lose that little game). Sniffling, she stood up and pulled her dress on again as she straightened her hair. She could hear Harry down the hall speaking and so she pulled up the second floo line and tapped her boss' office, hoping he was there.

Harry finished the long conversation with his boss about why he'd been gone and what had been happening. He had to be honest with the man and inform him that something strange had occurred and were trying to piece together what had happened. Lazarus had been kind enough to tell Harry that he was given leave until he could figure everything out, but he'd have to submit a full report afterwards. A small price to pay to avoid going to Azkaban. He shut down the Floo network and noticed that the second one was in use, probably Hermione checking in with her boss. He left the study and went back down the hall to their room. He needed to get dressed so they could ask Ginny and Luna to come over. They needed answers; troubles in his love life could wait until after all this was taken care of.

Hermione was more than a little shocked to find her boss bright and cheery when she flooed him. He spoke about how great it was that she finally settled down and was starting a family, that she could take as much time as she needed...the only part that bothered her was that apparently Ron Weasley had informed him that she was going to be taking some time off. Ron Weasley had done her a favor? First of all, how was he involved in this (although she had a few ideas)? And why would he take that liberty with her career? For several minutes after she stepped back from the floo she was silent. Dobby brought her the ice cream and she took a large bite before she called out again, "Harry?" She hated how small her voice sounded, "I think we have another suspect to add to our list."

Harry poked his head in and frowned. "Another? Don't tell me your boss is in on it?" He stepped fully into the room and walked over to his dresser. He started to get changed. There was no sense in worrying about her seeing him starkers, especially after what they'd just done together. "My friend on the Wizengamot doesn't appear to be in on anything." Once he was dressed in a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt with a black set of robes to wear over, he turned back to Hermione. "Who is it that we're adding to the list?"

The sight of his naked body sent a burst of heat through Hermione again and she swallowed another bite of ice cream quickly to try and cool herself back down. "Well I flooed my boss and he said that the day after we left for Rome and I didn't show up that a Mister Ronald Weasley came to see him and explained that we had gotten married and that I needed ample time off to enjoy myself. He was so convincing, in fact, that my boss offered him a sales representative position with the business department of our potions lab." She bit the head off a chocolate frog and sighed, "That doesn't sound like our Ron."

"Ron couldn't talk his way out of a wet paper bag. If he could, he'd have been in a lot less trouble with Molly all the time." Harry shook his head. "That doesn't sound like Ron at all. Either that or he's been playing us both for fools all these years." If that was true, then that meant that just about every Weasley—except the twins, Bill, and Charlie—were in on this mess. Harry sat down on the bed and ran a hand through his hair. "We need to get them over here soon and figure out what they know. I say we invite them over, all of the Weasleys that we suspect so far, and then trap them. Put up wards and figure out what the hell is going on."

"You really think that it's that serious?" Hermione asked gravely, "I don't think we should accuse anyone just yet. But that is a good idea, we could throw a dinner party and invite all our friends, then we can see who is acting guilty and who is being strange. We should invite all the Weasleys and their spouses, Albus, Hagrid, Amelia Bones, Madame Pomfrey, maybe Minerva because she might be able to help us get to the bottom of it. We'll be pulling the strings when they're all together...and we'll be able to get some leads."

Harry shook his head. "No, that's too dangerous. As far as we know, we're alone against them. They're all in on it. If it's just us and the Weasleys, we can take them. But if Albus is there as well as Minerva, we're in trouble if they realize what we're doing and want to stop us. We need to figure out who's on our side, and who's not. Then we can have a big dinner and know we aren't alone." He scratched his chin and then the back of his head. "We've got to play it safe, especially since you're in the condition you're in. We don't want to chance anything."

Sighing heavily, she stood up and walked over to him, "No, Harry. We need to do this. First of all, no one is stupid enough to attack us in our own home with our friends around. Not to mention that everyone is going to expect we have a party to celebrate our marriage and the baby. This way it'll look normal and natural...I think it's important that we do this." Instinctively her hand sought her waist, "This is our chance."

Harry stood up and had to resist the urge to yell at her, "With our friends, Hermione? They might not be our friends anymore! Ron knew enough to make sure you still had a job! Ginny and Luna knew enough to get a nursery prepared for us! Albus paid for our honeymoon, and the Weasleys bought us matching luggage. And all of this happened while we were drugged or something, not acting not like ourselves. How are you so sure that they aren't all in on it? The moment they realize we aren't following their plan anymore they won't jump up and hex us from here to next week?"

Hermione didn't like his tone of voice. She was afraid too, she wanted to protect their baby too...but she wasn't going to sit back and let someone pull one over on them. "That doesn't mean they're out to kill us, Harry! We can have them over and still be able to protect ourselves. It'll be fine, nothing is going to happen." She scoffed at him, "You really think people we've known and loved for years are going to just get up and start hexing the famous Harry Potter and a pregnant woman? Come on, no one is that daft! We can hire Aurors if you want but we have to do this."

Harry didn't like it one bit. He didn't want a bunch of people over that might be in on this, and to be outnumbered. "I didn't say they were out to kill us. But I don't want to invite them over only to wake up three months from now with no memory of what happened, again!" When she suggested Aurors, he wanted to laugh. "Aurors, Hermione? Be reasonable! Amelia Bones is the director of Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The Aurors work for her, and who knows if she's in on this? She was the only known witness to our wedding! If we get Aurors here to protect us, who's to say they wouldn't report it to Amelia? If she's in on it then she'd be able to make sure her own people were here to deal with us." Harry hated being this paranoid, it made him feel like Voldemort was still alive and lurking around every corner.

"Reasonable? Harry, you are the one being unreasonable here!" She snapped, moving back from him again as she began to pace the length of the floor. "It would be lunacy to try anything and we both know it. Yes, someone set us up, but if they were going to hurt us, wouldn't they have done it when we were unconscious?" She threw back, "What would you have us do? Hide here until the culprit gets fed up and confesses? Or worse, lull ourselves into a false sense of security until something comes up? Come on Harry, you know we have to be proactive here."

"No, Hermione. I don't think they'd have done it while we were unconscious." Harry ran his hands through his ever messy hair which didn't help to straighten it out. "Maybe they wanted to control us? Whatever they did to us was supposed to keep under their control. What if they realize we aren't under their thumb anymore and that we won't back down without a fight? Maybe it wasn't about killing us before, but that doesn't mean it couldn't change into it." Paranoia was firmly set in, and Harry was over thinking the situation. Or was he? He would be the resident expert on psychopaths trying to kill him for no apparent reason.

Scoffing, she flopped back onto the bed, "Come on Harry, you aren't stupid." Folding her arms over her body, she glared at him. "You may be content to sit back and wait for this all to come to a head but I, for one, am not that kind of girl! We're having the dinner party and that's final!"

"No, I'm not stupid. I'm not going to just let us set ourselves up for an ambush!" But she had already made up her mind. And she didn't give a damn about his worries over her safety and the safety of the baby; just like she didn't give a damn about him. He was fooling himself. All she cared about was finding out who was behind this so she could dissolve their marriage and go back to her old life without him, and never mind that they could be seriously outnumbered if this came to a fight. Shaking his head, Harry gave in. "Fine!" Harry turned then and left the room, slamming the door closed behind him.

Hermione cringed as he screamed at her and then stormed out the door, slamming it behind him. Tears built behind her eyes as she looked down at her belly again; this was his baby, the baby of a man she loved more than life itself. But did he understand that she needed to do this? No, of course not...he was so used to hiding, resorting to cloak and dagger tactics that he barely remembered what it was to do some good old fashioned detective work. And these were Hermione's friends...not just suspects in a crime that may have been committed against them. All of a sudden, Hermione's hormones imploded and she stood up, "Don't you walk away from me Harry James Potter, I am not going to deal with your childish antics anymore. This isn't seventh year. We are married and if we're going to have a fight, let's do it right!"

Harry rounded back around as soon as she spoke up. His eyes blazed with anger. She was chancing putting his baby at risk, but she wanted blame him and call him childish? "I'm childish? I'm not the one putting that baby is harm's way all because I'm too deluded to realize that my friends might not be my friends anymore!" He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. But there was no taking them back, even if he had a time turner, the past couldn't be changed. Best to just continue on and let it be heard. "And don't give me that married bullshit. You don't want to be married to me; I can see it in your eyes. I heard it in your voice when I told you I love you, and all you could reply with was how hungry you were!"

Anger seared through Hermione as she rounded on him, "Oh you think I don't care about this baby? This child is everything I've ever wanted. And I'm the one who has to carry him or her; I'm the one who this really matters to right now. What do you care? This might not even be your baby!" She regretted it the minute she said it, but she was too stubborn to back down. And his next words hurt her deeply, "What about you Harry, I don't see you trying to make any of this right. Don't feed me that 'I love you' crap, I know you love me like a sister and you always have. I'm not going to pour my heart out just because you got too caught up in the moment while you were fucking me."

It might not be his baby? What the hell? "Is that what you really want, Hermione?" His voice was quiet, laced with hurt. "Did you go to bed last night praying that it wasn't my baby? Please, Merlin or whoever's listening, don't let my baby be Harry's… he'd only make it a target and fuck its life up. He's only good for being the world's weapon!" He glared at her as he spoke. "Don't call me a liar. I've never lied to you, Hermione. NEVER! I'm not Ron. The only reason I ever loved you like a sister was because you were too hooked on Ron to see me standing there hoping you'd like me. Who was it that called you beautiful at the Yule Ball? Not Ron, that was me! I'm the only one who's consistently been there for you. Yet you're more inclined to believe that I don't love you, and only passing flings like Ron and Viktor ever could be worth your love!"

"Oh please, Harry, don't start on that. Ron and I are over and have been for a while, I'm not dwelling on it, why should you? It's not my fault you had Voldemort to fight and than afterwards decided that you'd rather reap the benefits of horny sluts throwing themselves at you instead of looking for a stable, committed relationship." Everything ached inside; she hated fighting him on this. But he just didn't understand! Why couldn't he just stop patronizing her and their relationship? "I never loved Viktor; we went to one dance together because you and Ron didn't have the courage to ask me. Don't try and make me out to be some sort of whore when I gave myself only to the father of this baby and you."

"You say that now, but you were damned quick yesterday to say it was mine!" She had been fucking with him at the time? Playing mind games with him? "That's low, Hermione. That's really low. You knew that all I've ever wanted in life was a family to love me! The one thing I NEVER HAD!" He took a step toward her, barely restraining the magic just under his grasp. "You told me that was my baby, and now it's someone else's?" Harry stopped his advance and shook his head. He had to blink back tears. She was just like everyone else, only wanted him for as long as he was useful. "Well I hope you and the father are happy. I won't stand in your way of being with him. As soon as this is over we can get a divorce and go our separate ways. I wouldn't want to keep a father from his baby." Harry turned away from her then and walked down the hall toward the dueling room. He needed to destroy something now or this house wouldn't be standing much longer."

Tears streamed down her face as she sat there, her arms gripping the swell in her belly. She longed to tell him that she wanted this to be his baby, that she wanted to give him the family he'd always wanted. But her stupid fear and pride got in the way. When she finally turned to speak again, he was walking down the hall, slamming doors and cursing under his breath. Breaking down into tears, she shook her head, "I know this baby is yours..." She whispered. Deep in the pit of her belly, she could feel it.

Harry entered the dueling room and immediately turned, slamming his fist into the wall. He felt a sharp pain in his knuckles after that, and was almost certain that he'd at least bruised the bones. Turning toward a far corner where a heap of dummies lay, Harry animated them to attack him. It'd been so long since he'd been a real fight, a fight that really tested his limits. He needed that now to burn off the pain. He made quick work of the dummies, they fired pretty strong blasting curses and cutting hexes, but they were no match for someone whose skill was honed by years of surviving conflicts against Lord Voldemort. He tore through the dummies from a distance, and ripped into them physically when they got too close. After a half hour he slumped to the floor, back to the wall, and let it all out. He yelled at the top of his lungs until he couldn't yell anymore. When his throat was raw, Harry pulled his knees up and let the tears go. Why bother hiding them now? It wasn't like anyone was around who cared.

The sounds of his frustrated cries left Hermione feeling drained. She walked to the outside of the dueling room and watched him, the tears running down his cheeks and his curses getting nastier and nastier as he battled for his life against stuffed dummies that never stood a chance. When he slumped down onto the floor and began to heave with his cries, Hermione could no longer stand it. Covering her mouth she ran as fast as her pregnant body could go to get her wand and cloak before making her way down the stairs past a wide-eyed Dobby and Winky. Flinging the front door open she stepped into the cool night air and lamented the fact that her cloak was too small, it didn't quite cover her belly and that meant her arms were slightly exposed too. As soon as she stepped off the front steps, she tripped and found that a strong pair of arms came around her. At first she thought it was Harry but when she looked back, all she saw was a dark figure was staring blankly at her. That wasn't her husband…

Hermione did the only thing she could, she screamed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews everyone! We really appreciate your honesty and support. However, it seems like we're blowing the point of view issue out of proportion. I don't want to pick out anyone in particular but the word 'disconcerting' bothered me...there is nothing fundamentally perturbing or distressing about the way these chapters are written. I have personally betaed the chapters, I have had others read through them, and we find no issue with it. Sure there are typos, but without a professional editor, that's a given.**

**To clarify our point of view, James and I were roleplaying partners before we became writing partners. Note: we do not mean the table roleplay, we mean the writing roleplay. You may interpret our writing differently because it is in roleplay style, we do reiterate what the other person's thoughts are and build our own thoughts upon that. Is it different? Sure. Is it wrong? Not as far as I can tell. **

**But it's all about perspective. We see things differently! Just like Hermione and Harry see things very differently as well...you'll see a lot of that in this chapter and beyond!! So please read and review, tell us what you're thinking! Do you like the story? Hate it? Do you think you know who is behind all of this? Let us know! We want to know what you're thinking.**

**If you are having an issue reading and understanding the chapters for any reason, please e-mail us. We will be more than happy to try and accomedate you! We want to make you happy! **

**Have a wonderful weekend!! It's Marina's birthday, woohoo!**

**Marina & James**

* * *

Dobby had been worried. He had heard the fight between the Great Harry Potter and his Mione. He didn't like it when the master and mistress fought, no good house elf did…especially over something so trivial. Why couldn't wizards and witches be more like house elves? Dobby may not have been the smartest, or even the most graceful house elf, but he could tell that they both loved each other very much. But they still insisted on shouting hurtful words at each other that made Dobby feel like he should stop them. But he hadn't, so he'd pulled his ears down and punished himself for not making sure the master and mistress were happy. Ironing his hands was always a good punishment. 

He had been in the middle of bandaging his fingers up when he'd heard Hermione's scream, "Mistress!" Dobby was up off his chair in a heartbeat. His feet hadn't even touched the ground before he'd disappeared from the room with a soft pop. Dobby reappeared at Hermione's side and stared at her. She looked frightened, and it was easy to tell what the object of her fear was. A dark figure was standing in front of her, staring, far too close to Mistress for Dobby's liking. "You are a bad man! Sneaking around the Master's house and scaring the Mistress!" He wished his voice wasn't so small and squeaky, now would be a good time to be intimidating. "You get out of here!" He pushed a hand out sending a red bolt of magic at the attacker. Dobby didn't wait to see if his spell hit. He spun around and grabbed Hermione's hand before disappearing with her on the spot. They reappeared in the kitchen and Dobby got her a chair to sit in. "Is the Mistress alright?"

Hermione was practically hyperventilating when Dobby apparated her into the house and forced her to sit down. For several minutes she couldn't stop crying, let alone talk. But finally she managed to bite out a few words, "I-I just wanted to give Harry some space and when I walked outside I accidentally tripped. I thought Harry had caught me but...but it was that man! At least, I think it was a man, I couldn't tell. They were disillusioned, it was dark!" She let out a bitter sob, "Oh Dobby, something terrible is happening here. And it's _my_ fault."

Dobby hated it when the master and mistress were upset. He was just a lowly house elf, how was he to understand what to do to make her feel better? His face fell with sadness as she showed how upset she was. Dobby did the only thing he could think of, a thing that would have gotten him punished severely if he was still owned by the Malfoys, he gave Hermione a hug. One tiny wrinkled and bandaged hand patted her on the back. "It is okay, Mistress. Dobby took care of the bad man, and you is safe inside now. Dobby will make you something warm to drink. Would Mistress like some hot chocolate?" His face was practically beaming with the hope that she would like his idea. Nothing was better for a house elf than to have their ideas praised and accepted, even one so simple as hot chocolate for an upset pregnant witch.

Sniffling, she nodded, "Yeah, I need something to calm me down. Thank you Dobby..." When she realized that she was relying on a house elf, she look up, "Are you sure you don't want me to help, Dobby? I know you're a free elf. Maybe you'd like me to get a cup or start the water? I don't want to put all of it on you." But the fierce look on the little elf's face put her back in her place. "Okay, okay...I won't help. But can I ask a favor, Dobby?" She leaned over as far as she could, "Can we not tell Harry about this?"

Dobby was almost offended when she wanted to help. "Dobby is a free, mistress. He chooses to be here and to take care of things for the Great Harry Potter. And that includes taking care of the Great Harry Potter's Mione!" He watched her sit back down and smiled before patting her hand. "Dobby is more than able to make hot chocolate on his own." He set about making the drink until she asked her ridiculous request. He almost dropped the pot, managing to only spill some boiling water on his already ironed hands. But he had salvaged the rest so there would be no need for further punishment. "But...Dobby _must_ tell the Master! This is the Master's house, and he should be made aware of all things that happen in his house…especially where his Mione and his baby are concerned!"

Closing her eyes tightly, she shook her head, "No Dobby, you can't tell him." She pleaded, resting her hand on her belly. "Harry and I just had a fight and I don't want him bothered with it. I wasn't hurt. I'll just sleep in the guestroom and tomorrow I'll work on finding a new place. All of this will blow over." If Harry caught wind of her walking into the arms of her would-be attacker, he'd go through the roof.

"B-But Mistress..." She wanted to leave? No, the Mistress couldn't leave. That wasn't how things worked. She was supposed to stay here and be the Mistress forever and ever! Maybe it was something Dobby had done, and she was just being polite and blaming it on the Master. "Did D-Dobby do something to make the Mistress want to leave?" He let out a wail and launched himself at the table. He grabbed one leg of it firmly in his hands and started beating his head against it. "Bad! Bad Dobby!" He had ruined it for the Great Harry Potter, "Now Master will be lonely and sad! Dobby is a bad house elf!"

"No, no," Hermione cried, standing up as she walked over to him, "Shh, Dobby, please! It wasn't anything you did. It was my fault; I was the one who started the fight with him. I just wanted to throw a dinner party and get ourselves back into the swing of things and Harry flipped out. I said a lot of things I shouldn't and now here we are." She rubbed her belly which is grumbling slightly now that she was coming down from an emotional high. "It's not your fault, Dobby. You've been wonderful."

Dobby stopped beating his head against the table leg and peeked at her with one eye, "Really?" When she nodded, Dobby started crying and blew his nose on his shirt. "Oh…Dobby is so happy the Mistress likes him!" He took a moment to calm down before he heard her belly grumble. "The Mistress didn't tell Dobby she was hungry!" He scolded her thoroughly. "She is eating for two; she must tell Dobby these things. Dobby will make her eggs and pancakes and..." he eyed her suspiciously, "Peanut butter. Would the Mistress like that?"

Peanut butter, Hermione gagged and shook her head at the mere thought. "Oh, no, not that..." She gagged again before grabbing a glass of water and drinking it down. Besides, peanut butter and pancakes? What kind of _freak_ liked that? "I'd actually like something spicy...bacon, jalapenos, and cheese on some stale bread. Can you make that, Dobby?" She knew he'd make anything she asked for and she smiled, "And I don't think Harry will forgive me anytime soon...I said a lot of terrible things."

Dobby nodded and started immediately on making her meal. The stale bread was the hardest. House elves didn't keep bread if it wasn't fresh, but it was easily fixed with a drying charm over some pieces. Sucked the moisture right out and made them feel, smell, and taste stale. Before the meal was done, her hot chocolate was; Dobby poured her a glass and added two marshmallows to it. "Mistress will drink all of this." The statement left no room to argue. Within minutes her meal was ready and Dobby made her a large plate, "Eating for two, Mistress. All the food on the plate will be eaten." He smiled sweetly at her then. "Master will forgive Mistress. It's one of the reasons he is the Great Harry Potter. He forgave Dobby for keeping his mail and making him late to board the Hogwarts' express, and trying to hurt him with the charmed bludgers in his second year. He will forgive the Mistress." He shuffled a foot around for a moment before asking, "Would Mistress like anything else?"

Hermione smiled as she watched Dobby making her food. She was suddenly ravenous and couldn't decide why. Was it the fact that she hadn't eaten much since breakfast? Or perhaps it was because fighting worked up her appetite? "This is delicious," She said as Dobby placed the food before her, "Thanks Dobby." She took a sip of the hot chocolate and smiled; it was bliss. She turned to Dobby to tell him that everything was fine and he was free to do whatever he liked, when she realized something about him. "Dobby, you were a companion to Narcissa Malfoy during her pregnancy, weren't you? You were trained to aid pregnant witches?"

Dobby nodded enthusiastically at her question. It was very rare when such a great witch as Hermione Potter wanted to know the details of Dobby's training. "Dobby was a very young house elf when Mistress Malfoy was pregnant with Master Draco. Dobby was not the head elf then, Mistress had an old house elf named Dixie who was specially trained to take care of pregnant witches. But Dixie was getting old and she knew she wouldn't live to see Master Draco through his younger years, so she taught Dobby everything she knew." Dobby hopped up on a seat to sit with Hermione for a moment. "Why does the Mistress want to know what Dobby can do?"

So Dobby had experience with pregnant witches and was extremely well trained. "Well, Dobby I...I was wondering if you know a spell or potion or charm to determine..." She swallowed hard, "Paternity of a baby. Harry and I..." She couldn't give too much away, "That's what we were fighting about. I need to know if this baby is his and I don't want to ask Madame Pomfrey or anyone at St. Mungo's. It could leak out to the press that way." Rubbing her belly softly, she sighed, "I need to know."

Dobby eyed Hermione skeptically for a moment. "House elves do not learn potions, we don't needs them. Anything that a potion can do, a house elves magic can replicate." Why did she want to know this? The idea of promiscuity was not known amongst house elves. They mated for life, usually because they only had limited contact with other elves outside of the ones owned by their masters. Usually two elves in a family would 'marry' as it were, and that was that. Even if one developed feelings for an elf outside the family, it was never seen through. Such things were bad, and a house elf would punish themselves terribly if ever it occurred. "Is Master not the only person Mistress has been with...in that way?" He didn't really want to know, but as Harry's house elf, even if it was by employment and not a bond, he still felt it was his duty to ask these questions.

Hermione always urged Dobby to ask her whatever he wanted; and she loved that he used that freedom. But this was one question she just didn't know the answer to. Dobby had earned the right to the truth though, "Well, I don't know...Harry is the only one I remember being with but something happened between the times that Harry and I got married until now. Neither of us seems to remember anything that's happened." She continued to rub her belly slowly, unthinkingly, "I want it to be his so badly. I want to be able to be completely sure that he is the father so we can move past it."

Dobby nodded and hopped off the chair. He slowly grabbed her hands. His began to glow with power as his eyes glazed over. The mistress was worried about having been raped and molested and Dobby wanted so badly to put her fears to rest. He'd do this for her, even though it would hurt him to do so. He let go with his right hand and slapped it over her belly. A sound like a thunder clap echoed in the room and Dobby sagged back. A tiny ball of energy formed in the air in front of his face and an image of a bolt of lightning appeared in it. "The baby is the Master's." He gave her a small smile. "Would Mistress like to know what kind of baby she is having?"

Watching Dobby as he poured energy into the atmosphere, her body humming with it, she was awestruck. Could someone so little really have this kind of power? He must, for soon he told her that the child she carried was Harry's. A joyous sob overtook her and she wrapped her arms around her waist; she'd never been so happy in her entire life. And Dobby knew what the sex of the baby was, "Oh please, Dobby, I want to know. Thank you so very, very much!"

Dobby nodded and spoke almost in a monotone. "Mistress is having a little Master." He removed his hand from her stomach and sagged back against the chair. His eyes unglazed and the power left the air surrounding them. He was tired now, but he had duties to attend to around the house. "Does Mistress require anything else of Dobby? Dobby can get the Master so that Mistress can tell him the good news." He looked almost hopeful, even if fatigue was evident in his eyes. It was a show of how loyal to Harry Dobby really was. He wanted nothing more than for Harry to be happy and not to fight with the Hermione. Even if it caused him pain to do so.

The hopeful look in Dobby's eyes was too much for her to bear. "If you think you're up to it, you can go get Harry. But after that you need to rest, I can see that took a lot out of you, Dobby." Finishing up the last two bites of her meal, she sat back in her chair and smiled to herself. Rubbing a hand over her belly she smiled, "This will change his mind, love. Daddy will forgive us."

Dobby nodded. "Dobby cannot rest. Dobby has chores to finish." Before Hermione could argue Dobby snapped his fingers and disappeared from the room. That was the tricky thing about being a house elf, sure they were very powerful but if they weren't bonded they didn't have magical stamina and the big spells would eventually cause their body to wither away. But if they bonded to the wrong family, it was almost better to die of magical exhaustion than suffer beatings. Such was the life of a house elf, a double edged sword.

A few minutes later the door to the kitchen opened and Harry came strolling in. He'd obviously cleaned himself up and there was no evidence he'd been crying at all. He looked at Hermione with an indifferent look and sighed. "Dobby said you wanted to see me?" He couldn't imagine what she wanted, unless she wanted to start up another fight. Was that it? Had this all been another way to corner him and bite into him more? To wear down his confidence and his sense of self worth? If it was then he'd leave and she could keep the damned house.

Hermione stood as soon as she heard his voice with a bright smile on her face. But, of course, he was still angry. Sighing heavily, she walked over to him and looked him in his eye. "Harry, I'm sorry we fought...but I'm even sorrier that I took out my own fears about this baby and about our marriage on you." Looking down again, she really loathed to apologize when the wounds were still so fresh. But this was their baby they were talking about; their lives as they knew them were caught up in this. Reaching over, she grasped his hand and pressed it to the bump in her belly. "This baby is yours, Harry, your son."

Harry watched her for a moment. What was she playing at? One minute it's his baby; the next it was someone else's. And now it was his again? She must really think he was stupid. He pulled his hand back and took a step away from her. "You think I'm an idiot? This is just like earlier. It's mine, and then it's not. Now it is again, until the next time we have a disagreement and then it won't be anymore." He shook his head at her and let out a sigh. How could she be so fickle about it? "This isn't a game where you can change the outcome to suit your wants and needs, Hermione. This is life, and you're toying with mine. You're toying with the life of that baby. When you figure out who the real father is, you let me know. I'll be sure you make it to his house comfortably." With that said, Harry turned to leave the room.

Why did she think that he would take this well? In a wave of anger and sadness she grabbed the plate she had been eating off of and winged it at his head. It shattered only a few millimeters away from him. "You're right about one thing, this is not a game," She snapped and walked over to him, pushing him against the wall, "I was afraid that I was taken advantage of by someone that wasn't you, I was _terrified_ this wasn't your baby. And maybe I shouldn't have said anything...but Dobby did some sort of house elf magic and he told me for sure this is your baby boy." Still, her anger took over and she pulled away, "But you can just forget us. I'll be out of here within an hour," She turned on heel and marched back toward the staircase to their bedroom.

Dobby did some magic to show that the baby was his? He didn't know that house elves could do magic that big without being bonded. But that did sound exactly like Dobby. He'd want to make Harry happy, and so he'd find away to do something for him even if it hurt his own well being in the process. Harry rushed toward Hermione and grabbed her arm. He wheeled her around and pinned her to the wall, his face inches from her own. "Are you lying to me? Is that really my baby?"

"Would I lie about this, Harry? Really, do you think I would?" Hermione practically whispered. Her warm brown eyes met his electrified green ones and she felt a thrill go through her lower body. "Let go of me," She said after a long moment, her hands coming to push him away but resting on his hips instead. "I'm leaving and that's final."

Harry shook his head. "No." This was his baby...his wife. He wouldn't let her go now that he knew. When she tried to push him away, but ended up with her hands on his hips; this was what Harry needed. He closed the small distance between them and captured her lips with his. His hands slowly ran up her sides, stopping just under her arms. He broke the kiss slowly and gave her a penetrating look. "It's a boy? We're having a son?"

Letting out a soft moan of pleasure as he pressed his lip to hers, she held him tightly. "Yes, a little boy...and I hope he looks just like you." She whispered, tears leaking down her cheeks as she kissed him again. "He's going to be perfect, I can feel it."

Harry returned her kiss with equal fervor. He ground his hips into hers. He was going to be a father. And he was having a son. He wouldn't let his son be like him, growing up to not know his parents. That would never happen again, as long as Harry had a say in it. "I'm actually hoping he looks more like you." He began to trail kisses all over her lips and neck. For some reason finding out that he was really going to be a father was a real turn on to Harry. And if he was reading the signs right, this was a huge turn on to Hermione as well.

Leaning back against the wall, she closed her eyes and let the sensations of his body on hers take her away. She laughed when mentioned her hair, "It'll probably be his luck if his hair is bushy _and_ as uncontrollable as yours." The way he rubbed his hips against hers, teasing her, driving her mad. "Harry," She moaned, "I know we already did it today but...I want you again. I need you."

Harry grinned. "Right here in the kitchen?" But the moan in her voice told him that she wasn't going to wait to go upstairs. He wrapped her legs around his waist as much as they would go, and then pushed away from the wall. He only had to balance her for as long as it took to cross the five feet to the table, where he sat her down and began to pull off her dress. "You know...I wasn't lying earlier when I said I love you. And just for the record, I never once took advantage of having every witch between the age of seventeen and forty throw themselves at me. You're the only one I've ever been with. The only one I want to be with."

In the kitchen? She looked down at the table and shrugged, "Its flat, isn't it? Just..." She kissed him hard again, "Be careful of the baby." He lifted her and she wrapped her arms around his waist as tight as they could go. At three months pregnant she knew that she needed to take advantage of this while she still could. Another couple weeks and she had no idea how they could make love; she was already a little too big for this. Another five pounds and that would be that. "I want you, Harry; I want to be with you and only you." She whispered.

Harry stopped kissing her. His hands hovered just over her breasts. He could feel the electricity in the small space between their bodies. "Then tell me." He wanted to hear her say it. Even if it was a lie. He had to hear the words from her lips. He could fool himself if she lied to him. He kissed her lips passionately for a moment and then pulled back. "Tell me."

The love bursting in her heart was more than she could contain. She wanted to scream it from the rooftops, cry it to the mountains...but how could she do that? She couldn't open herself to that kind of hurt, not just yet...but she couldn't keep it in, "I love you," She whispered so softly she almost didn't hear herself say it. Grasping his robes, she pulled them off his body as she smashed her lips to his. She did love him, with all her heart, and she loved her son...this would have to work out. Hermione didn't know if she would survive if it didn't.

Harry had barely heard her whispered words. But he had heard them. She could only whisper it; she couldn't just say it normally. That only furthered his belief that she didn't really love him, she was lying. But, he could live with that. He could take that little whisper and fool himself into thinking it might possibly be real. He allowed her to pull his shirt off and returned her kiss. His hands came down on her breasts, running over her nipples and teasing them. One hand circled around her back and dropped low to her bum, pulling her closer into his groin.

Arching back, she let out a soft gasp. "Harry," She cried out, grinding her hips against his. Panting uncontrollably, she kissed him again. "You make me feel so beautiful," She whispered, "Even if I look like I'm holding a pumpkin against its will."

Harry reached a hand down between her legs, sliding his finger over her folds and then inside of her. "Well, I try." He kissed her deeply and began to move his fingers around a little. "I've always said you're beautiful, Hermione. I'm just hoping one of these days you'll actually believe it." After a moment Harry pulled his fingers out and undid his pants. Once he was free of them he lined himself up with her, but didn't follow through. "Is this what you want?"

Hermione couldn't feel anything...wait, that wasn't true, she could feel everything. As he began to tease her, she cried out and pressed her nails into his back. "Harry," She moaned, kissing him passionately. "I've never wanted anything more," She whispered, "I need you, Harry." She kissed his face and neck, holding him tightly. She loved him more than life itself and that was all she needed.

Harry returned her kisses. He reveled in the feeling of her nails on his back. The things she did to him, he never thought anyone could have this effect on him. Not like Hermione had. Harry slowly pushed his hips forward, sliding inside of Hermione at an achingly slow pace. Once he was inside of her Harry picked up a pace that would give her what she wanted, and tease her with how long it would take to reach the edge.

It was not going to take long at all, as soon as he slid inside of her she felt her body tightening around him. She cried out, undulating beneath him as she clung to him for dear life. "Stop teasing me, Harry. I can't take it, I can't!" She begged, crying his name again. This was the best sex they had ever had and that was saying a lot...Harry and she had been having amazing sex since they woke up.

Harry couldn't believe how great this felt. If sex always felt this good after a fight, then maybe it'd be worth it to have little tiffs about stupid things every other day. This really was the best they'd that, well that he could remember anyway. Harry picked up the pace a bit to finish her off. He felt the edge coming closer. In moment he was over the edge, spilling himself inside of Hermione's body. It felt wonderful to be this close to her. She, especially in moments like this, made Harry whole.

The way her poured into her, giving every little piece of himself to her, drove her to insanity. Hermione fantasized for one moment that Harry really loved her. She came with force, his body pulsing inside of her. Crying out, she kissed him again and choked on a sob as tears ran down her face. Pregnancy hormones be damned, she was too happy not to cry.

Harry pulled back from her slowly and kissed her tears, "You alright?" The table was wooden and not cushioned at all. He was worried that she had hurt herself on the hard surface. He ran his thumbs over her cheeks and smiled at her. He gently kissed her lips and ran his hands through her hair. "You know, you look even more beautiful when you're all flushed from making love." He grinned and her and ran a hand over her breasts to tease her.

Tears continued to pour down her face as she clung onto him, "No, I'm fine, nothing is wrong." She sniffled, burying her face in his neck. "I-I'm just so happy, I don't know what to do with all these feelings." Pulling back, she wiped her eyes, "I'm going mad. I must be. Nothing has ever felt like this before, I have no idea what to do. I want to laugh and cry and sing and scream at the top of my lungs." She loved him, that was all there was to it. But for everyone's sake, it was just better if she kept mum. "Now I am tired, you've worn me out. And if I remember correctly we have a dinner party to plan..." Kissing him chastely on the lips, she slid away from him and bounded halfway up the stairs, "Last one up gets the pregnant woman snacks at midnight."

* * *

Harry ended up beating Hermione up the stairs, using some underhanded tactics that included kissing and then some good old-fashioned running. Still, Hermione had no doubt in her mind that if she rolled over and begged him for something in the middle of the night, he'd get it without question. That's one of the reasons she loved him so very much. Now, they were snuggled in their large bed, a parchment and Dict-a-quill at the ready to take notes about the dinner party. Hermione nibbled on the edge of the quill, "So that's the entire Weasley Family and their spouses, Ginny's boyfriend Oliver Wood, Albus Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey, Amelia Bones, and Minerva...is there anyone I left out?" 

"Oh, and Neville," Harry broke in. "You forgot Neville. He won't be happy if we forget to invite him." Neville had been one of the few people with Harry through everything, and he was also the only friend so far that hadn't had their name mentioned somewhere in this whole plot. He might have been the only one that Harry and Hermione could even trust anymore. Well, that Harry could trust anymore. He still didn't like that Hermione was so quick to trust people that might have taken liberties with both their lives in the way that they had. "What were you thinking of serving for this dinner?"

Neville Longbottom...not a suspect (that they knew of), but Hermione wanted to see her childhood friend again. He worked at a herbology center that supplied potions ingredients for her lab; while she didn't get to see him often as she'd like, she had seen him a handful of times since graduation. And he'd gotten so handsome too! "Tell him he's welcome to bring along a lady friend if he likes too." Hermione said and allowed the quill to continue writing. She and Harry had discussed whether or not to invite Colin and Rita...although, they'd be bloody insane to actually invite the press into their home. They might never leave! "As for food...I was thinking something that everyone can enjoy. Actually, the pasta primavera I had in Italy was delicious and I was thinking serving that would be a good idea. Maybe Dobby can get the recipe from someone."

Harry shook his head with a chuckle. "I don't think Neville has any lady friends. I think he's still hung up on Ginny." The poor guy had never gotten over his schoolyard crush on Ginny Weasley. The sad thing was, Neville was just the kind of guy Ginny needed: smart, funny, brave, and apparently he'd become a looker over the last few years. But Ginny was Ginny; if she wasn't crushing on Harry then she was crushing on the most popular (and usually handsome) Quidditch player available. She never gave Neville the time of day. "Actually, I bet Dobby already knows how to make primavera. The Malfoys did have expensive taste and you know how Italian food is popular amongst rich people. I'll ask him later."

Looking up, Hermione gave him a winning smile. "You know, we could play some matchmaking while we're at it. I mean, we won't drug them and give her a powerful fertility potion to ensure that Neville gets Ginny pregnant, but we can show her what a wonderful guy he has become. She's got to be tired of the constant Quidditch circuit where Oliver is gone eleven months out of the year for games and training. What kind of life is that for her?" Frowning softly, Hermione rubbed her belly, "What kind of home would that be for a child?" That got her thinking a lot about her own situation. Harry was very busy; as was she...could they handle this? "Do you think we'll be good parents?" She asked quietly, caressing the swell in her belly as if hoping to soothe the child within her. "I mean, really...I know we'll love him. But that's not all a child needs."

Harry smiled. "Hermione, we don't need to worry about anything like that. In fact, I'm not getting a job after this is all over. I'm going to quit the side jobs I was doing at the Ministry and just stay home. It's not like I can't afford it." Between the inheritance from his parents and the inheritance from Sirius, Harry was rich. "I'll just invest money and stick to the Wizengamot. I don't have to go daily to the sessions, just every solstice when they have the mandatory full Wizengamot sessions, and any emergency sessions that come up. I can be a stay at home dad." He gave her a wink and then leaned close to whisper in her ear. "You can work if you want to, just know that if you'd rather stay home with me and your son, there's plenty of money to support the family down to our great-great-great grandchildren."

Hermione stole a kiss as he leaned close to her. "Well, Harry...I think I'd be bored just staying at home all the time. Maybe I could use the dueling room and start working on experimental charms like I've always dreamed. That would give me something to do and allow me plenty of time to spend with you and our son." Scooting further down under the covers, she leaned her had against his chest. "So, pasta primavera for dinner...your son will be ecstatic. Maybe a rich chocolate dessert, good wine...although, none for me. We can even get Luna and Ginny little presents for putting together the nursery for us." As she listened to the sound of his heartbeat, she sighed heavily, "I just feel terrible suspecting all our friends like this. Why would they ever do this?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't know, Hermione. Why did Tom Riddle become Lord Voldemort? He grew up similar to how I did, so what was it that made him go bad while I stayed good? No point in asking questions like that. We'll never know what happened until we force the answers out of our guests." He hated to have to think poorly of his friends, but desperate times called for desperate measures. And when it came to endangering the woman Harry loved and their unborn son, nothing made Harry more desperate than that.

Shrugging, she shook her head, "If we only had the answer to that, nobody would go bad." Running her fingers through his dark hair, she looked down. "Harry? I have to tell you something about tonight..." She cleared her throat, "After we fought, I was going to leave and forget about everything. But when I got outside, there was a person...someone, I don't know who. They were disillusioned, watching the house. I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman but Dobby hexed them and brought me in the house." She knew he was going to blow a fuse and she braced herself for it.

Harry shot bolt upright in bed. He turned as quick as lightning to face her, anger and shock on his face. "Someone was watching the house!" He jumped out of bed, not caring that he was naked, and grabbed his wand. "Did they attack you?" Of course they did. They had to have attacked her. Why else would Dobby hex someone? He had been defending the Mistress of the house. "I'm going to patrol real quick and make sure they aren't around still." Harry summoned his glasses off the nightstand and started out of the room. He had to make sure no one would try to attack when they were asleep. Maybe he should invest in securing a Fidelius Charm on the place...

Grabbing onto him, she held tight even as he tried to move. "No, Harry, please don't leave." She begged, not wanting to lose the heat of his body next to hers. "He didn't attack me; he actually stopped me from tumbling down the front steps. I didn't feel threatened, he just kept staring and I was scared. Dobby took care of it, it'll be fine." She looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears again. "He's gone for the night, please stay with me." When had she become so needy? Hermione had no idea, but she didn't want him out of her sight. Never again.

Harry turned to face Hermione and frowned. He didn't like that she'd taken this long to tell him. Nor the fact that she seemed to think the guy, if it was a guy, was gone for the night without proof. "How do you know they're gone? Did Dobby banish them? Or just hex them? If he didn't banish them from the property then this person could still be out there." Why was she so quick to forget everything they'd learned about dealing with a potential threat? "Why didn't you tell me earlier Hermione? Who knows what this mystery person could have laid as a trap if they mean us harm!"

Blushing darkly, Hermione looked down at her belly. "I-I didn't mean to keep it from you Harry. I was going to tell you everything but then we started kissing and you were holding me tight, I kind of forgot...until now, of course." Harry made her forget all the pain and heartache in her life. "I don't know what Dobby did but he's resting now, doing the spell for me and the baby drained him. I don't want to disturb him. Come back to bed, Harry," She pouted ever so slightly, "Please?"

Harry shook his head. "No, 'Mione. I'm going." He ran a hand through his hair while he let out a frustrated sigh. "This could be the person who did all this to us. We could have answers tonight and find out who else is involved and who isn't. This could be over tonight." He turned toward the door, speaking to her over his shoulder. "Besides, I can't risk you and the baby. I have to make sure no one is out there that might try to come in and harm you two." Harry opened the door and left the room. He had to protect them. Nothing was more important than that.

Watching him walk away, Hermione collapsed into the pillows and tried to fight the tears. But what was the use? The first sob shook her entire body and she held the pillow tightly to her body. She was just deluding herself; he didn't care about her. If he did, he would've just let his wards and house elves take care of it. But no, as soon as she wasn't having sex with him, he was up and out of the bed. Sniffling, she sat up, "Winky?" She called softly and smiled as the house elf popped eagerly into the bedroom. "You can tell Master Harry that he isn't sleeping in this room tonight. I want to sleep without being disturbed." The house elf let out a high squeak and disappeared with a pop. Hermione fell back against the bed and continued to cry softly. She was so stupid...why had she ever allowed him to convince her that this could ever work?

Harry's patrol had taken little more than fifteen minutes. Though the grounds were vast, Harry was able to use magic to check them quicker. He'd walked around the perimeter and conducted a '_homenum revelio_' spell just to be sure. Once he was certain that Hermione, Dobby, Winky, and himself were the only ones on the property, he'd started back for bed. He'd been surprised by Winky in the foyer and nearly gave her a heart attack at his state of undress. She'd provided him with blankets, a pillow and then some pajamas once she'd realized he'd need them. After asking what it was all for, he'd been informed of Hermione's decision to sleep alone. He'd been upset by it but he didn't want to start another fight so late in the evening. Harry had gone to a spare room on the second floor and used that instead of the couch. She had gotten so upset about him merely trying to protect her. How was it he'd thought that this could work, when she seemed to try to dismantle their love before it even began? Why did she push him away every time she got the chance?

Rolling over onto her back to try and avoid putting too much pressure on her belly, Hermione pressed her hand to her tearstained face. Crying softly, she let the other one fall to her belly as she tried not to sob too loudly. "We should've known better, baby. We shouldn't have let anyone fool us this way. It's better off being just you and me...we'll manage."

Harry couldn't sleep. He kept tossing and turning in the bed. It wasn't his bed, and more than that, Hermione wasn't in it with him. He might only remember the last two nights, but in that time he'd gotten used to the idea of sleeping with her. And now he was in a guest bedroom in his own home, while she was sleeping soundly in the master bedroom. And why? All because she wanted to throw a fit over his wanting to make sure things were safe for her and the baby! Why did she have to make everything so bleeding difficult? "Women! I'll never bloody understand them!"

After a while, the tears dried but Hermione couldn't sleep a wink. She stared at the ceiling, her eyes plastered to one long crack...she wanted Harry; she wanted him to want her. But what was the use? He had made it very clear that he _didn't_ want her; she had literally begged him to stay and he still walked away. Frustrated, Hermione threw off the comforter and walked into the nursery. Grabbing a stuffed teddy bear, she gently rubbed its soft fur before wrapping it in her arms and letting her head rest against it. It was such a shame that her baby wouldn't grow up here; it wasn't as if she felt comfortable living here with him and the baby, especially if he planned on marrying again after their marriage was dissolved. It would just be awkward and embarrassing. But the baby...he didn't need to worry about this. "Everything will work out fine, mommy promises." She whispered.

Harry got up out of bed and walked into the room's adjoining loo. He turned on the water in the sink and splashed water over his face. Why couldn't he sleep? Damn it! For a few moments Harry looked at his face in the mirror before leaving the room altogether. He ascended the stairs to the master floor and went to the nursery. He wanted to spend some time there; he felt it was important to get to know the room his son would grow up in. He stopped dead in his tracks when he opened the door. He couldn't help but watch Hermione as she cuddled with that teddy bear as if it were the baby. He wanted to say something to her, but words were failing him.

Sniffling again, Hermione didn't even notice Harry standing there in the corner. She set the teddy bear aside, rubbing her belly again as she sat back on the daybed. "Since neither of us can sleep," She said to the baby inside her that was still too tiny to even move, "I'm going to tell you a story about your mommy and daddy. Once upon a time a very famous boy and a completely unknown girl met each other at a magical place called Hogwarts. Someday I'll take you there, I'm sure you'll get in." She smiled softly and wiped another tear running down her cheek, "She and this boy, and also another boy named Ron, were the best of friends and had lots of scary, thrilling adventures together. But in the end, the brave boy and the girl got tricked by a mysterious person and she ended up getting pregnant with the best baby boy in the worl… that's you." Dissolving into tears again, she covered her face, "Let's just hope to Merlin we can say happily ever after."

Harry listened silently to the story she told. It was basic, rudimentary, but it was personal. It was them as they were now. She sounded so lost in the belief that this was it for them, it made Harry feel a very painful pull in his chest. He let out a sigh and walked over behind the daybed. Slowly his arms wrapped around her, and he placed a soft kiss to her neck. "I can say happily ever after, if you'll let me...if you want to say it with me." He smiled softly and rubbed his hand over the swell in her belly. "I'm sorry, Hermione. About being an ass, about leaving when you wanted me to stay. I just wanted to protect you and to ensure that nothing would happen. I'm sorry."

The sound of his voice startled her and she nearly leapt out of her skin. She immediately relaxed when he wrapped his arms around her though, all of her fears seeming to melt away right there. She returned his kiss gently and shook her head, "Harry, it's not about what I 'let' you take, it's about what you want to give. _You_ walked away from _me_; every time we've had a fight, _you've_ walked away from _me_." She wanted him to understand, wanted him to see. Still, the feeling of his hand running over the place where his child slept inside of her, she wanted to believe him more than anything. "I'm sorry too, I'm sorry we fought, I'm sorry this isn't where we intended to be. But I'm not sorry it happened. I want this baby; I love him with all of my heart..." And I love you, she added to herself. If only...

Harry sighed and dropped his hands from around Hermione's swollen belly. He moved around in front of the daybed and sat on the floor with his back against it. One hand reached up to gently rub her leg while he began to talk. "That wasn't a fight, Hermione. That was me going to make sure that some nut job who might try to hurt us wasn't still lurking around. That was me protecting you, protecting the baby." He turned his head and kissed her leg gently. "I'm willing to give you everything, Hermione. I want to. But so far every time we've hit a rough patch you've decided that was **it** for us. I left during the fight earlier because I didn't want to say or do anything that I would regret later." When she talked about loving the baby, Harry stood up and turned to face her. "I want the baby too, Hermione. I love the baby. And I love you too. Even if you don't believe me and don't feel the same. I don't blame you for not loving me; I mean I've been brought up to be a weapon. If the girls that fawn over me daily knew half the stuff about me that you do, they'd run for the hills and have me declared stark raving mad."

Letting out a soft sigh, she closed her eyes as he pulled away. He always pulled away; he always put up his guard. Even though he was gently rubbing her leg, it made her feel hollow and empty when he moved back from her. "Look, Harry, I've never believed I was the cleverest witch of this age. There are many things I don't understand. Like why, for example, you keep telling me you love me and yet showing me the exact opposite. Or why you keep saying it at all. You don't love me, Harry. I'm not that pretty, there are a lot of smarter people in the world, you're just confusing our wonderful friendship for something more."

Harry flicked his wrist and cast a levitation charm on her. He floated her over a little and then slowly brought her down into his lap, ignoring her protests. Once she was settled there his arms snaked around her, and he placed soft kisses to her neck. "I do love you, Hermione. That's one thing I've known for certain since fourth year. Dumbledore figured out that love was my weapon against Voldemort. He said that even though I had never known true love before, I'd know when it happened. He was right. I love you, with every breath in my body. I'm not the greatest at showing it, but it's the truth. I'd give up everything if you asked me to." He gave her a soft smile then and let out a sigh. "If I wanted someone else, Hermione, I could have them. Merlin knows there are enough girls out there throwing themselves at me, and enough families throwing their daughters at me. But I don't want anyone else, I want you." He tightened his hold on her gently. "This is love, right here. Not making love in the bedroom, or on the kitchen table. This right here is love." He emphasized his point by rubbing her belly ever so softly and pressing a soft kiss to the bump there. "It is me, holding you; being in your presence and content to stay here forever. Having a child with you… even if it wasn't exactly our choice the way it happened. Regardless of everything, this is love." He leaned in and gave her a passionate kiss. "I love you, Hermione Jane Potter." Harry just hoped she finally believed him this time. If she didn't he didn't know how else to show it.

Hermione let out a little shriek when he spelled her to float into his lap. "Harry, don't do that. I don't know what spells are harmful to the baby yet." She chastised, but still she leaned in to give him a soft kiss. He was saying the most beautiful things she'd ever heard, that he loved her, he wanted to give himself to her and the baby fully, without question. As he held her in his arms, she let out a soft sigh and kissed him back with equal fervor. "Harry, I love you too, more than you could possibly know. But I'm scared. Three months ago we were just friends… best friends but still just friends. We've spent all our adolescent and adult lives together; you're like family to me. But these feelings I have...how do I know they're not just fraternal like I found out my feelings for Ron were?" She asked softly, "Harry, I'm terrified that I'm going to commit to this, get used to this, and then have you say that you'd rather have a prettier, thinner witch. I couldn't take that."

Harry laughed and kissed her softly. "Hermione, if I wanted a 'thinner, prettier witch', as you put it… don't you think I could have had one by now? I don't want anyone other than you." He gave her a small smile and gave her a tiny squeeze. "Besides, I've already committed to this. I've wanted to be with you since you came to check on me for the first task of the Triwizard tournament. That was the moment I realized that my feelings for you were more than friendly, more than anyone should legally feel for a sister; it's a good thing we aren't really brother and sister." He chuckled a bit and kissed her gently. "I want you and I want this baby. Nothing else in the world matters to me."

"Still," She said softly, "I don't want to put everything I have into this if it's going to fail. I know we've made love about a dozen times since we woke up," She was blushing darkly now, "But I want to take things slowly. Let's see how it goes. It wouldn't be out of line if we went out on a couple of dates, things like that. I know we know each other's secrets, but I want to know all of you."

Harry nodded in agreement to her. "Alright, dating it is." He leaned his head against her and stroked her back. "It's perfectly natural for married couples to go out on dates to keep the relationship going. At least no one will think it's weird seeing us out like that. Did you have an idea for where you'd like to go on a date? Any nice restaurant you've been dying to try? Maybe we'll go to some muggle play or movie?"

Chuckling, she leaned against him, "Oh anywhere you'd take me would be wonderful, Harry. You always used to impress Cho and the other girls with your refined tastes." She teased, "But first thing tomorrow I am going to Madame Malkin's. I do not have one set of robes or one pair of knickers that fits me. But it's my own darn fault that I haven't bought robes since my Hogwarts days. I mean, my uniform for Ars Alchima might fit since it was updated in the last decade, but not the rest of my things!" Laughing again, she patted the swell in her belly. "My little boy just takes up too much room."

Harry laughed and placed a hand on her belly again. "Don't talk about way I _'impressed'_ Cho Chang. I swear that girl was intimidated by your very presence! It's a wonder she ever went out with me at all when she knew you were her competition." He shook his head and leaned back slightly against the day bed. "Madame Malkin's it is, first thing tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, I love the whole no knickers bit...but after a while I think people will start to notice the same pair of robes that just don't fit right," He couldn't help teasing her a little.

Hitting him playfully, she pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. "Oh I think people will more than wonder why the rich Mrs. Potter seems to have no panties or bras, is stretched out like the giant squid and is bursting out of all her clothes." She giggled again, "You may just get bad press! And _then_ what would we do?"

Harry played along with her jest. He put one hand on his forehead like a damsel in distress. "Oh no, bad press? What ever shall I do? I've never had bad press before." He started laughing immediately afterwards. "Merlin, the press would probably think I'd drugged you or something. I can see Rita's headline now: _"Potter Gets Revenge on Granger with Lust Potion"_. She'd take it off on some tangent about me trying to get you back for what she thought was you toying with me and Viktor in fourth year! That woman's reporting is about as accurate as professor Trelawney's predictions!"

Shaking her head, Hermione let out a heavy sigh, "Why use a lust potion when we apparently used the strongest fertility potion on the planet to get pregnant." She said after a long moment, "I hope that woman gets what's coming to her. I don't even want to know what the Daily Prophet is going to be saying about this. I'm sure she'll accuse me of whoring around and you of being some kind of pimp or saint for taking me in, depending on what other scandals are in the news right now." She rolled her eyes, "Maybe we should read her articles, though. If she knows anything, she'll tell all."

Harry shook his head emphatically. "She'd praise me. I defeated the Dark Lord; it would take a lot of evidence for her to print an article damning me for something and not end up getting hanged by the public for it. She'd have to have, or at least doctor up, photos of me dosing you or something. Although to her, the simple act of handing you a glass of water would be proof of me dosing you." That insufferable woman! "I'll sign up for a subscription to the Prophet tomorrow while we're in Diagon Alley. While Madame Malkin is sizing you I can run over, sign up, and be back in time for you to give me a little fashion show." He winked at her and waggled his eyebrows.

"You want me to parade my bloated arse in front of you? Oh, I don't think so Mr. Potter. If I want this marriage to work, I need to at least maintain some semblance of my dignity!" The lilting tone of her voice gave away her teasing, but her eyes revealed that she really was worried about how he saw her. "Although you can take me to the Hog's Head for lunch, I haven't been there in nigh seven years and I could really go for some fish and chips smothered in vinegar." The funny thing was, Hermione had never liked vinegar on her fish...but there was just something she craved about it now. "And then maybe when we get home, away from prying eyes, I'll show you what I bought."

Harry smiled and nodded. "Alright, it's a deal!" He noticed the look in her eyes right away. It was one of the things Harry had become incredible at in preparation for his fight with Voldemort, reading body language, and reading the eyes of a person. He had failed horribly at the mind arts like Occlumency and Legilimency, so he'd had to resort to old fashioned techniques. This was one area he excelled in. "I can see that train of thought moving through that pretty little head of yours, Mrs. Potter. I think you are the most beautiful woman in the world, even if you're bigger than you used to be. This," He rubbed her belly lightly to show what he was referring to, "Isn't fat from lack of taking care of yourself. It's baby weight, from carrying my baby..._our_ baby inside you. And that makes you even more beautiful than any other woman in the world."

He sure did know how to make a girl feel beautiful. She blushed and looked down at the swell again, "That's easy for you to say, you don't have to get enormous. I only just started showing...at least, I think I did." She looked over at him and gave him a soft kiss, "I just want to be the wife you deserve. And being the size of a hippogriff probably isn't it!" She chuckled softly, "But thank you, Harry. It means a lot to me that you'd say that."

Harry smiled and returned her kiss. "If you want to be the wife that I deserve, then just be yourself. That's what I fell in love with, you. Not a knock off of Ginny or a ditzy model who wouldn't know the difference between a stunner and a disarming hex if it hit them between the eyes. Just you!" Harry helped her to stand up and then got to his feet, motioning towards the bedroom door. "Now, am I allowed back in, or do I have to return to the guest room for the rest of night?"

Hermione feigned like she was thinking about it long and hard for a moment. "Well, just this once," She teased and kissed him again softly. "There was no hope of me sleeping in that giant bed by myself anyway. I would get lonely in there!" She tried once to get up and then let out a huff, "This is what you get for bringing me down here. Now I can't get up!" Yawning softly, she grasped his hand as they made their way over to the bed. "I have to admit," She said softly, "I'm kind of excited about our date tomorrow."

Harry yawned when she did, "Don't do that." He shook the last of it out and glared playfully at her. "You'd think with all the things magic can cure, my eyesight and the contagiousness of yawning would be two of them!" He climbed into bed next to her and pulled her close to his chest. "Yeah, it'll be fun. I'll be nervous by eleven o'clock though, my first real date with the woman I love. Never mind that I'm already married to her, I'll be worried about making a bad impression!"

"Oh please, Harry," Hermione rolled onto her side and gave him a soft kiss. "You've already knocked me up; I couldn't run from you even if I tried. Besides, it's a free lunch and if I'm going to enjoy being pregnant, free lunches have to count for something." Scooting closer, she smiled, "Not to mention you couldn't turn me off if you tried."

Harry grinned mischievously. He lowered his voice to a seductive level and whispered in her ear, "Is that a challenge?" He chuckled a bit and slid one hand between her legs. "Okay, maybe you were right. You feel ready to have a third go at it." He was going to enjoy having a wife with a sex drive like Hermione had. "Well, the feeling's mutual. I'm ready to rip your clothes off and have a go when I see you walk into a room…especially if you're reading. Oddly enough, the sight of you reading is a huge turn on for me."

The feeling of his hand sliding across the smooth skin of her thighs caused her to hiss in pleasure. "Well I do a lot of reading, you should get used to it." Pressing her lips to his, she ran her hands over his back, "You know, I don't think it's any wonder that I'm pregnant." She whispered, "Even without a fertility potion, we've been going at it like wild pixies for days now."

Harry grinned, "Exactly! And there's no telling what they gave us to make us forget everything. But, if we're like this now, I'd almost be afraid to see what we're like with a lust potion added to the mix." The thought was actually a little intriguing. But really, did they need an excuse to make love? No, they already went at it when the fancy struck them, "So, shopping, subscription, more shopping, lunch and then home for a private show? Sounds like it will be a fabulous day tomorrow."

"Oh no, I'm not taking any lust potions. You're the only lust aid I need." The way his hands were slowly kneading the flesh between her thighs, her head pressing back as he did so. "I can't wait," She panted through the feeling of his ministrations, "It'll be one hell of a date."

Harry grinned at the reaction he was getting from her, "Yup, one hell of a date indeed." Merlin she'd probably jump him if he suggested having another go right then! Harry found that thought amusing and tempting all at once. "It's a good thing you can't become pregnant when you're already pregnant. Or we'd be having twins...maybe even triplets by the time this one's three weeks from popping out. Then Molly would think you were trying to be a proper Weasley woman." He laughed at the thought while drifting his hand higher up her thigh toward the juncture of her legs.

Laughing softly even as he began to tease higher up, she let out another shuddering breath. "We are lucky to only be carrying one when even those couples with fertility trouble have been known to deliver multiples." She said softly and ground her body against his hand, "And I want more children, more than one...but not all at once, thank you." She laughed and kissed him full on the mouth, "Please," She begged. She needed him to finish because she was already feeling exhausted.

Harry slid his fingers slowly inside her. She wanted release; he'd give it to her. His fingers slowly worked back and forth inside her. His thumb rubbed tiny circles over the ball of nerves at the apex of her entrance. He kissed her lips gently and teased her tongue with his own. His free hand came up to rub over her nipples in an effort to help her feel the release she was desperately craving.

It didn't take long at all. Hermione had already been aroused by the sight of him just standing there, but the way he stroked her clit and brought his hands to rub her breasts drove her wild. Within moments she cried his name, her body bucking with its release. It was intense and perfect; and she loved that he was the one to give it to her. "I love you," She whispered. And she really meant it.

Harry grinned and returned her kiss. "I love you too." He was glad that he could make her feel this way. It was magical...it was paradise, that they could do these things with each other. It was the ultimate expression of their love for each other. Harry slowly withdrew his hand and pulled her closer to his chest. Too bad they were both feeling worn out from the day. "Goodnight, love." He gave her a chaste kiss good night before closing his eyes. In moments their breathing slowed, the two of them breathing in time with each other as they held one another. They dreamed of the family they would have in a few months, and their love for each other. As the last bits of consciousness left them they knew that as long as they were together nothing could harm them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! And, of course, for the birthday wishes! That was very nice of you! I'd be interested to know if your opinions on who the person who did this to Harry and Hermione changes in each chapter! We definitely got some responses worth thinking about! But I still think you'll be shocked in the end...at least, I hope you are! That's half the fun of a mystery!**

**So, please keep on reading and reviewing! Tell us what you want to see coming up, who you think is behind all of this, or with suggestions!**

**Have a wonderful weekend!**

**Marina & James**

* * *

The thought occurred to Hermione as they were stepping out of Madame Malkin's, their numerous bags shrunk and placed in Harry's robe pocket. Grasping his hand, she breathed in the fresh smell of May and smiled. Everything was blooming and growing, flowers, baby animals, and the baby inside her, of course. Everything was perfect and she almost couldn't help but revel in it. Harry brought her to the bookstore and she bought just about every single book on pregnancy and childbirth that they had in stock. Soon after that she noticed that Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was right on the way to the Hog's Head. "Harry, can we stop in and see how Fred and George are doing? I haven't seen them in so long!" Not to mention she wanted to see what kind of new tricks they had up their sleeves!

Harry hadn't seen the twins since a week before he and Hermione had been scheduled to meet for their Valentine's Day dinner. He'd been with them for lunch to discuss business. He was a full partner now in the prank shop, mostly because the twins were adamant that they wouldn't buy his share of the store from him, and they wouldn't accept it as a gift. After five years of trying to make the shop solely the property of Fred and George, Harry had given up and stopped trying. Now he attended quarterly meetings with them to discuss profit margins, new contracts for procuring supplies, and of course to give his vote on any new employees the twins were thinking of hiring. "Alright, I need to set up my next meeting with them anyway to see how far they've come in implementing their plan in opening a shop in Bulgaria. They thought Krum and his buddies were too serious when they came to Hogwarts. Said they'd have benefited from some good pranks and that they refused to let the opportunity to let those poor souls from the north suffer a moment longer! Typical Fred and George.

Smiling, she wrapped her arm around his waist as she pushed open the door to the shop. At first she thought no one was here except some Hogwarts kids giggling over the new, improved flavored booger chewing gum, the new formula of canary creams and the latest from the shop: ballooning butt butter. Fred or George, she couldn't tell just by looking at their butt as they bent over, was grabbing several galleons that had fallen onto the ground. When he stood up again, Hermione gasped, "Dear Merlin, George! What happened to your eye?" It looked like he'd been stomped on by a dragon. "It looks so painful, would you like me to heal it?"

George nearly dropped the galleons all over again when he heard Hermione's voice. It took him a moment to realize that Harry and Hermione were both standing in front of him. "Merlin, you two!" he grabbed his chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" When Hermione asked about healing the eye, George jumped back. "No!" Okay, maybe he'd answered a little too quickly and awkwardly. "Sorry. No, it's alright. It doesn't hurt. I had almost forgotten I'd even gotten a black eye until you mentioned it again." Turning his head over his shoulder George yelled out, "OI! FRED! The Potters are here. Get your lazy arse back out here!" That had gotten a few heads to turn and look at the mention of the name Potter.

Harry chuckled at George and shook his head. "What happened there? Another angry boyfriend catch you with his girl?" That would be just like George. Both twins were well known for their roguish attitude towards women, and their lack of caring about relationships said women might be in. "One finally managed to give you a reminder that you shouldn't be doing those things with someone else's girlfriend?"

The only thing keeping Hermione from reeling back was Harry's arms around her. Since when was George so skitterish? Perhaps something that happened when he got punched out that really scared him. She decided not to press it, if he wanted to discuss it, he would. "I don't think that's any of our business, eh love?" She kissed his cheek and smiled softly. "Harry said he wanted to talk business but we were just coming to check in on you two, see what was new. And I was thinking if we could use your floo… we're doing some lunch at the Hog's Head. Mummy has a craving," She laughed and pressed her hand to her belly.

Fred poked his head out form the back room and smiled. "Hello there, mates." He shot a semi worried look at George, but hid it well when he noticed no wands were drawn. "Give me one sec; I got to finish putting away these boxes." He disappeared again quickly. George smiled at the couple and motioned them over to a chair behind the counter. "The obviously pregnant woman shouldn't be on her feet. Learned that one from mum when she was pregnant with Ron, and then with Ginny." As soon as Hermione was seated George gave her a hug. "So congratulations are in order." He looked down at her belly. "Twice over I see. Guess that means we can't offer you any pus puff cookies."

Harry made a face when George mentioned the cookies. "You guys really made those? We talked about them at the last meeting, but I thought you were kidding." He thought he heard Fred in the back room yell out, "Our top selling item this month!" The thought was sickening. People actually wanted to prank each other by giving someone a cookie that would make them break out in pus-filled hives? He hoped they weren't painful. "When's our next meeting? I can already tell I'm behind on what's been happening while we were in Rome."

Fred came out of the back then and smiled at Hermione. He gave her a hug with his congratulations on the marriage and pregnancy. "Of course you can use our Floo. You don't need to ask, Harry owns half the shop, so that technically makes it his Floo too. And seeing as you're Mrs. Potter now, that also makes it your Floo." He pulled out a plate of cookies with little white balls on them, "Cookie? Don't worry; they're marshmallow, not puss. Mum made them this morning and sent Ginny over with a plate."

Grimacing at the thought of a pus cookie, Hermione pressed her hand to her belly, "So much for my appetite!" She lamented, "But I'm sure it'll come back," She laughed after that. She raised an eyebrow as she looked over at Fred, "You can offer but only if you were planning on buying new shoes and robes." Rubbing her belly, she thanked the twins as they had her sit down in the chair. Her legs were very tired and her back a bit achy the more pregnant she became. "As long as it sells, though, I suppose it doesn't matter how disgusting it is." Running her fingers through her hair, she listened to the boys bantering back and forth. Laughing, she shook her head, "No offense Fred but I'm not going to eat anything you offer me. I know better," She laughed and then winked. "How has the family been? I need to get a hold of Ginny and Luna to thank them for the nursery. We're planning on having everyone over next week for a dinner party, I hope you can come!"

Fred and George shared a look. "Well, the family is fine. Dad got the promotion Harry nominated him for. He's now the head of the entire Misuse of Magical and Muggle artifacts office. Mum's been fawning all over him since he told her and wanting know when Harry would be back so she could thank him for helping dad get the job." George chimed in then. "Yeah, she's been a right nutter about it too." "She keeps flooing everyday to ask if we heard from you." They chuckled a little about that. "Ron's doing well with Luna." "Yeah, she's keeping him in line" "But failing in her attempts to curb his appetite." Ron was a bottomless pit when it came to anything remotely edible, and Luna must have been a bit loony to try and get him to eat less. "Ginny's alright" "But she's not happy." "Quidditch season started up" "Which means that Oliver's gone on the road for another eleven months."

Harry felt like a muggle bobble head doll when the twins spoke. He always liked to be looking at whoever was talking, but when them bouncing back and forth like that it was like watching a fast paced tennis match. "Well, that's good on all accounts except Ginny. I always said she needed to be with a guy like Neville. If only she'd give him the time of day, she'd see that he's exactly what she needs," Which to Ginny was what she wanted as well! A man to love her and hold her tight, to support her through thick and thin. "We'll make up the invites for everyone and give you guys the ones for the family. You'll probably see them all before we do."

It was giving her neck strain just trying to snap back and forth as the twins spoke. Halfway through the conversation she gave up and stared at Harry instead. It seemed that everyone was doing fine...there was nothing really out of the ordinary. "I suppose Oliver won't be coming to the party then...such a shame." She winked at Harry and smiled, "I'll make sure to put her next to Neville."

Fred and George smiled brightly and turned to address Harry. As one the spoke, "You picked a mischievous one, there. That's a trick even the Marauders would approve of!" Turning to Hermione Fred said, "That's a very Slytherin move, underhanded and dastardly." Together again they said, "We like it!"

Harry smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I did pick a good one." He wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders and gave her a gentle kiss. "But it's a two way street. I can pick her all I want, but it doesn't matter if she doesn't pick me as well. So, I like to think that we did a good job picking each other!" He gave his wife a warm grin and another kiss. "We better get to that lunch and get home so we can finish planning this dinner party. We'll let you guys know when it is and give you some invites to give to your parents, Ron and Ginny. Oh, Charlie, Bill, and Fleur too, if they happen to be around."

Blushing darkly, Hermione batted at all three of them. "Oh please, I'm no prize. I just care about my friends." She laughed as Harry tried to make her sound so great. "Yeah I'm getting really hungry. Let's go before the lunch rush."

"Lunch rush? Hermione, this is the Hog's Head we're talking about. And it's not a Hogsmeade weekend. We're probably the only ones Aberforth will serve all day, other than his usual drunken rabble." The poor guy, he had an upstanding establishment, and he tried so hard to make it a respectable business like the Three Broomsticks or Honeydukes. It was a shame the only customers who usually showed up were the students who were seventeen and wanted to try firewhiskey on a Hogsmeade weekend or drunks who wanted to drown themselves in alcohol. Few knew about the excellent meals that Aberforth could make. Harry said his goodbyes to the twins and walked to the back room where the Floo was. Grabbing a handful of powder he tossed it in and yelled, "Hog's Head!" before disappearing in a burst of green flames.

Fine, so she made it up to seem more polite. "Alright, I just didn't want to tell you that I'm withering away over here, my stomach has been growling loudly since we left Madame Malkin's!" She retorted and allowed Harry to help her up. Within minutes they were through the floo and seated at a lovely corner table, reading the menus. "So, Mister Potter, you're a big investor now, eh? I had no idea you were doing that."

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "How do you think the twins started up the shop? I gave them my winnings from the Triwizard tournament. I didn't want the money, especially after Cedric died. So, I gave it to them so they could start their prank shop. That money paid for every prank they used on Umbridge in fifth year." He gave Hermione a mischievous grin. "I'd say that made it an excellent investment." He took a gander at the menu and then closed it. "They claim that I own half the shop since it was my money and their brains that made it possible. I tried to sell it back to them or to just give it away, but they wouldn't hear of it. So I've made a sort of miniature conglomerate out of it. When they need suppliers, I negotiate contracts. If there are no suppliers for the items they need then I start up a company to supply the stuff, hire a full staff and people to run it for me, and then put it all under the Weasley Wizard Wheezes name. We have a total of five supply companies now."

"Well I knew you had given the twins at least a portion of your winnings, that's all Mrs. Weasley ever talked about! But I had no idea you did so much!" She marveled at him. Her husband was an avid businessman, it seemed! She never knew that about him...then again, there were a lot of things about this new, adult Harry that she found she didn't know. "Any other secrets you're hiding? Other wives, love children? Or secret talents like juggling or stupid hat tricks?"

Harry chuckled. "Of course I did that for them. They helped me out so much in the years we were in school together; I had to pay them back somehow. And I wouldn't allow their dream of their own shop to die out because nobody supplied what they needed." Her other questions made Harry laugh even more. "No, no other wives or children. You and the little one in you are the only ones for me. And I'll have you know that I can juggle, given I cheat and use magic, but that's beside the point. And I'd probably do hat tricks if I owned a hat to do them with. But, since I don't own one, no hat tricks are available just yet."

Hermione laughed outright at the way he answered her questions. He could always make her laugh, that was one of the things she loved about him. Although he could make her cry just as easily...perhaps these emotions came with love. She leaned over and took his hand, "Good, because in my current condition, I do not want to be out husband shopping." She teased. Aberforth came over and she ordered her fish and chips; vinegar was already laid out on the table and she had the undying urge to just drink it. Whatever was wrong with her? She didn't even like vinegar! "You do have a few tricks up your sleeves though," She whispered as Aberforth walked away, "You've been showing me a few of them these past couple days."

Harry loved it when Hermione had a playful mood about her. She always played back then; otherwise she was her normal serious self. But this pregnancy had done her wonders in that department. She was much more playful now. "As long as I'm still around you'll never have to go husband shopping." When Aberforth arrived, Harry ordered the same as Hermione. "Yes well, I'm not the only one who's been showing hidden talents these past couple days. You, my dear, have developed an uncanny ability to drive me wild."

Blushing, she chuckled again, "Oh I always drove you wild. Although the nagging you to do your homework and making sure you ate properly wasn't all that sexy, huh?" She bit her lip then, sipping the cherry soda that Aberforth brought over for her. She had been craving the syrupy drink much the same way she craved vinegar and the feel of his hands on her body. "But call it pregnancy hormones or insanity but..." She blushed even darker as she leaned forward, "I want you all the time. I can't control it; I even want you right now."

Harry chuckled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is kind of difficult to get turned on when someone's chatting up your ear about how your essay isn't going to pass because you forgot to include this or that." His eyes danced with mirth. "But that's alright; you always looked out for me. And I love that about you." When she mentioned that she wanted him right then, he couldn't help the blush that rose to his cheeks. "I want you too. I always do. It's like you're the most addicting potion. Now that I've had you, I want you all the time." He looked around and leaned in to whisper, "But, I don't think Aberforth would appreciate us ruining his table. However, it might get him more customers for dinner if they thought they were getting a meal and a show!" He couldn't help but tease her.

It didn't help her red cheeks when he made lust course through her. It seared from the pit of her belly to the rest of her body. She chuckled though, trying to relieve some of the sexual tension, "The customers probably wouldn't like this show, what with me being pregnant at all. I think we should wait until we get home...then I can get you all riled up when I show you the things I bought." She winked and continued to drink her soda. A particularly long growl made her laugh softly as she patted her belly, "Quiet, you, I'm sure the food is almost done."

Harry chuckled as she continued to play back with him. It was nice to be able to talk like this about things and not worry about her getting upset. It helped him to continue to believe that their relationship would work, and that they would raise a beautiful baby boy into the world together. "I don't knot about that. Some people like some pretty weird things, and pregnant sex is definitely not the weirdest I've heard of." When she mentioned what she'd bought at Madam Malkin's Harry almost spit out his pumpkin juice. She must have bought some outfits that would make him go crazy what with how she was talking. "I can't wait to get home." It was one of the reasons he'd ordered such a small and simple meal.

Looking as sexy as she possibly could for a long moment, she teased him with her eyes. She loved Harry deeply and they had talked about not having sex for a while to enhance their relationship but Hermione just couldn't abide by that. At three months pregnant, she was out of the major morning sickness and had entered a phase lovingly dubbed the 'honeymoon' period. She was ready to go all the time and not yet encumbered by an enormous belly. Why not take advantage of having a husband while she could? Aberforth brought their food out moments later and Hermione drowned it in vinegar. She looked up and grinned sheepishly, "I hope you didn't want any..."

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "No thanks. I never took to putting vinegar on my fish and chips. Of course, I didn't think you did either." Must be those pregnancy cravings. They were certainly weird. But all Harry cared about was downing his food so they could get home. He could swear they had decided to not have sex for one reason or another, but that seemed to be flying out the window. It must be a pregnancy phase. Harry would probably benefit from reading some of those books Hermione had purchased in the Alley. "So, how about you give me a hint at some of the things I can look forward to seeing?"

Eating hungrily, she let out a small sigh of pleasure, "I never liked vinegar on chips and thought it was disgusting on fish but...your son has other plans it seems." She smiled, "I can't seem to get enough of that flavor. And after this I can't wait to take you home and show you how much I love you." When he asked for a demonstration, she leaned as far over the table as she could and kissed him hard on the mouth. "And that's only the beginning," She whispered into his ear.

So it was a pregnancy craving and she was blaming it on the baby. Wow this little boy was going to be in for it. He wasn't even born yet, and he was already at fault. That was oddly funny to Harry. When she leaned over and kissed him, Harry was floored. They only kissed like that in the middle of love making. And here she was kissing him that way in the middle of a restaurant. He was disappointed when she broke the kiss. "You little tease. Kissing me like that and then breaking it off. You just wait till I get you back home."

"Oh no, Mr. Potter," Hermione said, chastising him with her tone, "We're playing by my rules this afternoon." She gave him one more teasing kiss and sat back. "I'll have the hot fudge sundae to go...and extra vinegar on it please." Aberforth made a face...but he just nodded. "And you," She turned her gaze back to him; "You're mine."

Harry smirked at Hermione as she spoke. "Playing by your rules?" He leaned in to whisper to her a little huskily. "Does that mean that you want to be on top this time?" He gave his wife a wink and then leaned back in his chair while she ordered her desert, which made Harry lose all interest in getting some himself. "Of course I'm yours, love. That's why that lovely little baby has taken over your belly." He gave her a smug grin at his attempt to turn the logic around on her.

Smiling softly, she gave him a teasing pat on the hand and sat back. "The top? I may just take you up on that," She winked. "After all, I'm getting too big to be on the bottom. Although that is quite the paradox considering I'm the one getting heavier..." She shook her head, "And I think there's more than one reason why your baby is in my belly, Harry. As a matter of fact, I think you showed me a few tricks last night that had nothing to do with love!" She giggled again and thanks Aberforth as he handed her a bag with the sundae and the check. Just as she expected, it was a cheap bill, but Harry was a handsome tipper (especially for good service). "Time to go home..."

Harry smirked at Hermione as she mentioned the odd paradox that pregnant women have an easier time with sex when they get to be on top. It seemed odd to him that laying down and relaxing while the guy did most of the work wouldn't be easier for them, but apparently things didn't work out how he would expect them too. "A few things that had nothing to do with love, huh? And just what might those things have been?" But Hermione didn't answer him as they check came. Harry paid the small check, and left Aberforth a ten galleon tip. The old man smiled and thanked them as the couple left. Maybe after the fashion show Hermione would show Harry what things he'd done that had nothing to do with love...Maybe.

Hermione knew better than to reiterate the things they had done that weren't as lovey-dovey as perhaps the world made Harry Potter out to be. She wanted to get home and give him a real show, something he could enjoy for once. So far he'd been spending all his time giving HER pleasure, rather than seeing to his own needs. But all this was about to change...and it was all going to start with new robes.

* * *

Harry led Hermione to Aberforth's floo and tossed in a handful of the green powder, "Potter Manor!" The flames flared green and Harry held out a hand for Hermione, "After you, my darling wife." He helped her into the green flames and watched her disappear with a flash of green. A moment later he repeated the act for himself and stumbled out of the fireplace at Potter Manor. Just as he thought he was about to finally stay upright, his toe caught on a rug and Harry tumbled head over heels to land with a thud. "Oof!" Slowly Harry rolled over and sat up, brushing dirt off his robes. "Damn! Never fails!"

"Harry!" Hermione cried, rushing over to help him up. Of course, the gesture was quickly hindered by the swell in her belly; she tried to lean over to help him and nearly lost her balance. She let out a soft gasp and grabbed onto the mantle. "Well aren't we a pair, you and I."

Harry jumped up from his seated position to make sure Hermione didn't fall. She caught the mantle, however, and Harry let out a sigh of relief. Harry couldn't help but laugh at her comment. "Yeah, I can't travel by any means other than apparition without falling flat on my face, and you can't help me up without tumbling over as well. We'll be quite the pair when we're old and grey and falling every three steps because of faulty hips." He shook his head and led Hermione up the stairs to their room. "Now, I do believe I was promised a show of some sort?"

Laughing at the image, she nodded. She couldn't stop a small flutter in her chest, the giddiness of thinking about them growing old and grey together, having children and a family. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard, and she really hoped with all her heart that it would happen. "Yes, Mr. Potter, take your seat in the bedroom." She took the shrunk packages and hurried into the upstairs bathroom adjoining their master suite. "And prepare to be amazed!"

Harry smiled as she scurried out of the room to get ready. He walked over to the big fluffy chair that Dobby had moved into the room for when the baby was born. The house elf had figured that one night the couple might want to sit with the baby in their own room, and had found a very fluffy and very big chair for just that purpose in the attic. Harry sat down in it and watched the doorway for his wife to come out and tantalize him. He was getting giddy like a school girl just waiting.

Fumbling with the buttons of the first robe, she smiled as she strutted out into the room. The robe was a sunshine yellow silk that clung to her muscular arms and was tight around the bodice to enhance where she wanted, yet was loose over her belly. In this robe she almost didn't look pregnant at all; there was just the slightest catch when she moved that revealed the truth. Doing a slow twirl she gave him a sultry look, "What do you think?"

Harry watched Hermione emerge in the first robe. He wasn't a big fan of yellow, but the way the robe looked on her made him think it could one day be a color he liked. He watched her twirl around and smirked at her. "I think you look beautiful. And the way that pushes you up," he motioned to her breasts, "is making me want to jump you in about three seconds if you don't show me another outfit." He gave her a lopsided grin as he finished speaking.

His words sent a jolt through her and she nodded, hurrying back into the room and shut the door. He was right about her breasts; she had never been a chesty woman, not by a long shot. But since her pregnancy she had gained an entire cup, and it was very noticeable. This was one part of pregnancy that Hermione didn't seem to mind! The second outfit was more of a muggle-style dress. It was black linen with a band of lace right below her breasts and fell to her knee. Harry would like this one for sure, she knew he would. Walking straight over to the chair, she put her hands on her hips and let him drink in her form. "I got this one especially for you."

Harry watched her emerge in the next outfit, a muggle style dress. The band below her breasts focused all attention there. He gripped the chair's arms as he became more aroused at the sight of her. "I can tell." He let his eyes wander over her, telling her with his emerald orbs exactly what he wanted to do to her. He was just hoping she didn't much more to show him or she wouldn't finish the show. He was losing his ability to control himself, and he'd have his way with her if she kept this up, regardless of whether she wanted to be in charge or not.

It was intense how expressive his eyes were. He wanted her...badly, and there was no hiding it. And it was incredible how much his arousal affected hers. She had bought a lot more, including knickers and things of that nature, but her favorite purchase was from Madame Malkin's Sexy Salon, a new section that was geared specifically toward witches. And luckily they had maternity lingerie that was wonderfully made. Hermione had bought a white, see through, lace negligee just for this express purpose. She felt nervous as she walked through the door, hoping his arousal wouldn't go away what with her looking like she did, her belly pushing against the fabric in a way that very few men found attractive. "But I knew," She said softly, "This would be the one you'd remember the longest."

Harry watched Hermione disappear back into the bathroom. The way her hips moved when she walked made him have to fight the urge to follow her. When she returned in a white, see-through, lacey number, Harry lost it. He watched her body as she struck a small pose for him. He could clearly see her nipples through the fabric, and the hint of the juncture between her legs. He couldn't hold back any longer. Harry stood up and closed on Hermione, his hands snaking behind her back and pulling her body as close as he could get her. His lips captured hers in a searing kiss. "You're going to have to finish this show another time." His hands traced up the sides of her body, running over her breasts and teasing her nipples a little. "I want to break this one in."

Closing her eyes for a moment, goose bumps rose on her skin, drawing her nipples into taut peaks right before his eyes. She was aroused merely at the sight of him, but the want and need in his eyes, the way his body molded against hers as he kissed her, it was beautiful and she couldn't handle it. She pulled back for only one moment, "Oh but this show has only just begun." His hands were slowly rubbing her nipples taught, sending waves of heat through her, but she knew she had to assert her authority. She grabbed the collar of his robes and pushed him back down onto the bed, slowly pulling the offending robe away with her teeth. "I told you we play by my rules tonight, Potter." She teased, giving him to playful nips on the neck before rubbing her hands down his body. She just hoped he wanted it hard and fast...because she didn't know how much more she could take.

Harry had never before been pushed around and told what to do by anyone since the Dursleys. Not even Dumbledore had resorted to outright bullying. Strangely enough, when Hermione did it to him in this extremely erotic manner, Harry wanted more. He let her push him back on the bed and almost lost it when she peeled his robe off with her teeth. The way her hands rubbed down his body, Harry was loosing it fast. "Alright, you're in charge. Show me what you want to do to me."

Smiling wickedly, she ran her hands down his entire body, stopping when she got to his manhood. Tenderly, she peeled the pants off him until he was completely nude underneath her. The best part of this lace number was that it never had to be taken off to make love; it was designed to be no hassle. Rubbing her body over his, he kissed down his chest, neck, and face. "For now, my only order is that you enjoy yourself."

Harry loved the sight of her undressing him. His emerald eyes followed her every move, transfixed by the sight of her. And so what if she was pregnant and not as thin as she used to be? He didn't care, because that was his baby making her that way. And that made her look even more breathtaking to Harry. When started to kiss down his chest, Harry's eyes closed and he couldn't help the little pleased sounds that escaped him. "Enjoy myself? Love, I don't think there will be any problems what so ever in that department." If she was going to keep on like this, he could definitely lay back and enjoy it.

Hermione had been understandably nervous putting on this lingerie and strutting out to entice him. She knew what Witch Weekly showed as what was 'pretty' and she had never been it...but she'd been cute, if not stick thin, blonde and chesty. Well now she was chesty, but she was nowhere near thin OR blonde. That he wanted her and loved her genuinely made her smile as she captured his lips again. "No talking," She chastised, capturing his lips again to silence him.

Harry was easily silenced by her lips on his. He nodded as she snogged him senseless. Tonight she was the boss, and the boss said to shut up. Harry could do that. Still, it made him a little sad that to the Wizarding World at large Hermione, who was a fellow savior of the world, would never be considered good enough for him. They all thought that he should end up with some blonde bimbo who did nude photo shoots in whichever magazine was popular at the time. But Harry had never been interested in girls like that. He didn't want someone as thin as his wrist, or with a chest so large it was a wonder she didn't fall forward. Hermione was perfect to Harry. She had some meat on her, but not too much, just enough to make it feel like he was holding a real person. And her breasts weren't large. Personally he thought the smaller ones would be more sensitive, and was pleased that Hermione's were that way. All in all, Hermione was perfect for Harry, no matter what the rest of the worlds thought.

If Hermione was really was in complete control, Harry would have a part at all. But the way it was now, she loved it. He was kissing her back, his arms helping to steady her waist; as of yet she was not so big as to not be able to make love but she was certainly encumbered by her belly. Even since they awoke, she had gotten noticeably bigger; Hermione almost suggested they take pictures every week to document the growth of the baby boy inside her. But right now, all she wanted to do was have him for herself. Sitting forward, she tried to position herself over him several times, failing miserably each time. Finally, she did the only thing she could and grabbed him, helping to guide him into her. "I love you," She whispered, "So much."

Harry loved the feel of Hermione's body. He loved everything about it, even if she was a tad on the clumsy side because of her belly. But that was alright, it was a part of her. He almost felt a little sorry for her when she seemed to have trouble guiding him into her, but he wouldn't help her. She wanted to do this herself, she needed to do this and know that she was capable of it. It would only hurt her if he did it for her. When she finally succeeded in getting his member inside of her body, Harry let out a sigh of relief. The gentle rocking motions of her hips made him want to roll her over and have at her. But she wanted to be in charge. He captured her lips with his once more, whispering in her ear when they broke apart, "I love you, too. More than you know."

Kissing him with all the passion she had in her body, she moaned as she pushed against him. From this angle, it felt as if he could touch her womb as he pressed inside of her. She'd heard that the woman being on top was a bit difficult...and Hermione wasn't going to lie, it was. But the end result was indescribable. Tightening around him, she cried his name, still rocking through the wonderful sensations of her orgasm.

Harry's breathing became a little ragged as they continued their passionate love making. She was a little awkward being on top, but he figured that it was simply because this was her first time. If they did this enough, she'd be an expert at it. But that didn't seem likely in the near future, not when she was only getting larger. As she tightened around him, Harry felt a tightening of his own. Her orgasm surged around him, bringing him over the edge with her. Merlin, that was amazing. It might have been a little awkward, but the orgasm was superb. Harry kissed her gently and wrapped his arms around her. "That was great, love."

When he came inside of her, Hermione gripped onto him for support, ceasing her movement as he came hard. She lay there for several moments before she carefully withdrew, kissing him once more before she rested next to him and let his arms come around her. "Yeah...I agree," She breathed heavily, "I think my plan is working fabulously." She said and laughed as she kissed his cheek, "If I keep you this satisfied, you'll never look for another woman. Even if I get big as this manor."

Harry smiled and leaned his head against hers. "You don't have to keep me satisfied to keep me from looking for other women." He knew she had only been teasing, but the mere thought that she might think he'd mess around on the side was hurtful. "I only have eyes for you. Just love me, and that's enough." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and gave her bum a light smack. "Now, I do believe you have other clothes to show me," Harry said as he gave her a lopsided grin.

Throwing her arms around him, she laughed, "I do love you, I do...with all my heart, with all my soul." She loved how easily they laughed, joked, and talked. It was like some kind of storybook love that only happened in novels and the muggle movies. "They'll have to wait for another day," She said as a yawn overtook her, "I need a nap. Mommy is tuckered out now." Rolling over, she snuggled into his chest, "Wake me up for dinner, okay, love?" And within a few moments she was sound asleep.

Harry chuckled as she went from overly excited to dead asleep in a matter of a few blinks of the eye. He shook his head at how easy it was for her to fall asleep before a yawn over took him as well. "Damn, so much for being able to wake her up." She had worn him out just as much as she'd worn herself out. "Dobby," Harry whispered. The little elf appeared with a pop and hid his eyes so he wouldn't see naked wizard and witch bits. "Can you wake us up for dinner?" The elf gave an eager nod and popped out of the room. "Thank you." Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione just a little tighter and closed his eyes. In moments he joined her in peaceful slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

**Whee, hormones are fun! Thanks to all of you for your wonderful reviews! We're definitely enjoying writing this story for all of you and we hope you enjoy reading it just as much!**

**Keep reading and reviewing! Have a great weekend!  
Marina & James**

* * *

"Harry James Potter," Hermione screeched, her voice carrying throughout the house and sending Dobby and Winky flying for cover. Storming as well as any four months pregnant woman could storm, she threw open the door to the dining room and folded her arms over her bulging belly. Now, at four months, she was larger than ever before. No longer plagued by any remnant of morning sickness and constantly feeling the need to eat; and she was really starting to feel like someone's used trash. "What did I tell you about these flowers, Harry?" She yelled, "I told you that I wanted pink roses...YOU GOT YELLOW CARNATIONS!" She yelled and chucked the vase at his head, Dobby caught it in midair with a squeak that told her that he was just protecting 'master'. Turning on heel she stalked to the room again and turned to a very emotionally unstable Winky, "Please go pick up three dozen pink roses, Winky. I trust you to know the difference between pink roses and YELLOW CARNATIONS." She yelled and she knew that he heard her. Hormones flared and she pulled out one of the dining room chairs. Flopping into it with a sigh it was only seconds before she dissolved into noisy, uncontrollable sobs. Oh the joys of pregnancy hormones...

Harry's voice cut through Hermione's sobs and stopped Winky in her tracks, "No, Winky. That's alright. You can go back to what you were doing." Harry hated it when Hermione was like this. It made him angry that she became physically violent toward him, as the barely saved flower vase would attest to. But it was the hormones, and he couldn't allow himself to get upset with her over it. She could barely control herself most times, and when she lost it, well...she lost it. "Hermione," Harry approached her and crouched down to her side, placing an arm on her shoulders. "I got the right ones. You were just looking in the wrong place. I put the roses in the greenhouse so that they would stay fresh and Dobby could take care of them. The carnations were supposed to be a present to you." So much for that present now. Most of them had fallen out of the vase when it went airborne.

Sobbing harder, she shook her head, "A present? For _me_?" She pulled away from his grasp and stared at him, tears streaming down her face. "I don't deserve your presents or your love for that matter. Harry, I don't know what's wrong with me! One minute I feel like I'm on the top of the world, the luckiest woman in the universe...and the next I'm sobbing over stupid flowers!" She pressed her hands to her belly. "I'm just so scared, Harry. What if something happens tonight? Something that changes everything?" She sniffled and grabbed several tissues out of a box on the table. "You were right, this was a stupid idea."

Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his body. He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and smiled, "Of _course_ for you. I definitely wouldn't be buying flowers for anyone else. Well, I did give one to Winky because she's done a fabulous job around the house since we got back. But no one else would deserve a present from me, only you." He gave her another soft kiss before continuing. "It's just hormones, Hermione. Don't worry about it." When she mentioned her fears though, Harry could only nod his head slightly. "Well, it's too late to back out now. That would send up a lot of alarms with the people we know, and maybe make the person responsible for all this become violent. We'll just have to keep with the plan and hope for the best. I won't let anything happen to you or the baby. I promise."

Leaning into his tight embrace she let out a heavy sigh and wiped her face. "I love you, Harry...really I do. I shouldn't treat you this way." She gave him a sheepish look, "I probably look ridiculous throwing tantrums like that as rotund as I'm becoming. I probably look like a big, fat baby." She shook her head and gave him a soft kiss, "It's just that I think something small is the end of the world and everything in me stands behind it." Shaking her head, she patted her belly gently, "I have **you** to thank," She said gently to the baby. So far he hadn't started kicking but he was moving around...Hermione hadn't told Harry yet but she planned on doing it tonight after the party. It'd be something to brighten their evening. "They'll be here in an hour and I still need to change! Do you have the dress robes I picked out? Wear those with the green tie; it brings out your eyes."

Harry nodded and rubbed his hands over Hermione's back. "I know, love. But I don't blame you. It's the hormones, not you." A fat baby? "No love, you don't look like a fat baby. You're actually quite intimidating like that. Until Dobby jumped to catch that vase, I thought I'd be spending the evening with Madame Pomfrey instead of here with you." He gave her a teasing smile to let her know it was all okay. "And yes, I have the robes. Dobby just laid them out on our bed not to long ago. And I'll be sure to wear the green tie." He gave her another kiss on the lips and stood up. "Come on. Let's go get those roses from the greenhouse so we can get changed, yeah?"

Nodding, she threaded her fingers through his as they walked down toward the greenhouse. It had been James' mother's back in the day and had gone mostly to ruin before Dobby spruced it up a bit. Now it was all jasmine and wildflower, beautiful ivy and water lilies on a small pool toward the edge. Hermione smiled as she half-waddled into the room and grasped the arrangement of pink roses in a round crimson colored vase. "Let's just run over this one more time. The guests arrive at seven, we chat over wine and pumpkin juice until eight, Dobby and Winky will serve the pasta primavera promptly at eight...from there we'll talk and this is when it's crucial to pay attention. There could be someone slipping up...then dessert will be served and everyone goes home." Sighing, she shook her head, "And it's just my luck I didn't sleep a wink last night."

Harry listened as Hermione recounted the plan. He grabbed some of the roses so that she wouldn't feel like he wasn't pulling his fair share of the work, and followed her out. "Yeah, that's a good plan. We should also drop subtle comments and questions that might encourage someone to slip up. People are more prone to slipping up if you subtly probe them, especially in the midst of a conversation and after a few glasses of wine. I'd resort to Legilimency, but with Albus here I'm sure I'd be caught. And if I tried to probe him with it, he'd know we were on to something, which would be really bad if he's the culprit." Harry took the roses from Hermione and nodded toward the stairs. "You should go take a quick nap. I'll wake you up in time to change."

"Harry, what part of 'they'll be here in an hour' didn't you get?" She snapped and immediately felt bad. "I'm sorry love, that was rude. But it takes me an hour to bend over to pick up a pencil off the floor. Dressing takes even longer and I don't care what the studies say, I don't want to perform magic on myself during this pregnancy." Rubbing the expanse of her belly that was getting too big even for the muggle sweatpants she had saved from her parents' house. "I like your idea about subtly trying to get everyone to open up. And phase one of 'Get Neville and Ginny' together is in motion. I asked Gin to get Neville from the herbology lab because I wasn't sure if he knew where we were located."

Harry chuckled at Hermione's feelings on getting dressed. "Who said you'd be doing that by yourself? I'll help you out. I can even use charms on your clothes, not on you, to make it go faster. And we already know that House Elf magic doesn't affect the pregnancy, so we could have Winky charm your hair up in some nice style if you want." He really wanted her to take a nap. He'd noticed that last night wasn't the only time she hadn't gotten any sleep. He was no expert, but it seemed to Harry that not sleeping would be bad for not only Hermione, but also for the baby. "Hopefully Neville will compliment Ginny on how she looks or strike up a conversation and that will get the ball rolling. Otherwise we might have our work cut out for us."

Harry's eyes were pleading and she couldn't say no to his help. "Okay, fine," She smiled as he followed her through the house, watching as she handed the flowers off to Winky to be placed before heading up the stairs. She lay down on the bed and grasped his hand. "Neville has really grown out of that phase he was in the first few years. He's a really great guy and I know he'll compliment her outfit...even if she's wearing a potato sack." Gently kissing his fingers one by one, she smiled softly, "I do love you, Harry. Don't ever forget that."

Harry hoped she was right about Neville. He'd only seen the man occasionally over the years, usually when the D.A. had an annual get together to remember the fallen of the war. He'd noticed a change in Neville, but it didn't seem like that kind of change. Hopefully Harry was wrong. When she kissed his fingers and told him of her love, Harry smiled. "With the things you do to me at night," He leaned in to kiss her passionately and whisper in her ear, "How could I ever forget?"

Chuckling, she kissed him back and smiled at the feeling of his arms around her. "You're the best husband I've ever had." She teased and let out a soft sigh, "Now if you want me to nap, I have less than an hour now before people start showing up." It was far too hot for blankets, being June and all, but Hermione cuddled against Harry and closed her eyes. "I love you so much." And she meant that with everything in her.

Harry chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Well, that's good. I'm the only husband you've ever had. If I was the worst, I'd be worried!" He gave Hermione a teasing grin and tightened his arms around her a little. Pulling out his wand, Harry gave it a little flick and it glowed blue for a moment. "There, an alarm charm, it'll wake us up with twenty minutes to spare. Plenty of time for Winky and I to help you get dressed and ready for the party." He ran one of his hand through her hair, he always love the feel of it. "I love you, too. Now, sleep."

Yawning, she nodded and closed her eyes. It was barely a minute before she was out cold, breathing deeply against his chest. She barely felt like a second had passed before a shattering alarm woke her. Rolling over, she groaned, "I could really do with a longer nap." Kissing him softly on the mouth she smiled, "Well, no use lamenting over it. The sooner we get this dinner party over with, the sooner we can get back here."

Harry hadn't gone to sleep at all. This was one of his favorite things to do, holding Hermione while she slept. Sometimes at night he'd stay awake for a couple hours longer just to hold her, to feel her body against his as she slept. When the alarm went off it startled Harry a little, but not as much as it apparently startled Hermione. He returned her kiss and got out of bed. "Alright, time to dress." He grabbed her dress from where Winky had laid it out and smiled. "Hermione, we don't have all night."

Instead of taking his words to offense (as she probably would've before the nap) she chuckled. "I'm moving as quickly as my pregnant butt can go, thank you very much!" She teased and pulled off the sweatpants and tank top she had been wearing. Dressing in front of Harry was no longer awkward as it had been at first; the only thing she got was aroused, which sometimes posed a problem when there were in a hurry, like today. But she was a good witch; she made her way over to the dress and pulled it on over her head. She smiled as she felt Harry's hands come to help her tug it down over the swell in her belly. "Thanks, love, I appreciate it." While Harry was getting his dress robes on she started on her hair and makeup. Years in the muggle world had taught her a few things and in a little while she thought she looked halfway decent. "What do you think?" She asked, doing a slow turn before him. "Will I embarrass you?"

Harry watched Hermione do a slow turn and almost jumped her right then. "The only embarrassment I'm going to suffer tonight is tripping over myself. I'll be too busy watching that sexy body of yours to pay attention to where I'm walking." He motioned his head toward the door and the hallway outside. "I might just take a dive off the stairs." His smile was teasing as he walked over to grab the robes Hermione had picked for him. In a matter of moments, far quicker than it had taken Hermione to get dressed, Harry was ready to go. He never worried about his hair. Fighting with it was only a waste of energy. It did what it wanted to do and as long as he didn't try to force it, no one would get hurt. "Let's go down to greet the people." Harry held the door open for her and offered her his arm as she passed.

Slipping her arm through his, she gave him a light kiss. "I'll try and keep you from falling." She chuckled, "After all, I'm too big to help you up. You might just end up stuck down there until Dobby or Winky can help you!" She descended down the staircase with the utmost care; she was always terribly afraid she'd fall and hurt the baby. So far only Minerva and Dumbledore had arrived, standing in the foyer chatting quietly. Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she saw them, "Welcome, Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore." She hugged them both, unable to stop herself from doing so. But neither seemed to fault the pregnant, young witch, she was hormonal enough as it was. They quickly told Harry and her to call them by their first names before adjourning to the study for brandies and appetizers.

When Harry reached the bottom of the stairs, only one step behind Hermione, he realized he'd forgotten something. It was the sight of Dumbledore that made Harry remember he should have his wand ready. He flicked a finger, silently calling the wand to his hand from the bedroom. When the wand settled into his hand Harry tucked it up his sleeve and greeted his guests by the first names, unlike Hermione had done. He had gone through enough berating from Minerva about no longer calling her professor. "I guess the prize for first to show goes to you two. Although with the way Albus showed up to my Wizengamot trial in fifth year, it should be no surprise." He would have continued on but the Weasley clan decided to show up for once without almost being late, sans Ginny who would be showing up with Neville.

All at once the party exploded around them. Kids had been deposited at home with Fabian Weasley, all of Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Ron's kids were home safe with their great uncle. Meanwhile the parents were enjoying a lovely night out and Hermione, forgetting her fear for the moment, hugged and kissed all of them, even Ron. Soon it got to be after six thirty and Hermione was getting very worried. "I hope Ginny and Neville are alright..." She said softly, looking toward the door as if expecting them to come through it at any moment. Still, they had guests to entertain and so both she and Harry went into the sitting room. Minutes later Ginny and Neville hurried in...Hermione laughed outright. Ginny looked like she had been snogged senseless!

Harry almost doubled over in laughter at the sight of Neville and Ginny. Both Harry and Ron clapped the other Gryffindor male on the back and silently congratulated him. Apparently Hermione had been right about him after all. Harry just couldn't figure out what Neville might have said by way of a compliment that would be enough to make Ginny risk being late and incurring the wrath of her mother, all for a snog. He'd have to ask Neville later and get some pointers. After meaningless chatter and catching up, Harry felt a tug on his robes. Dobby informed him dinner was ready and Harry smiled, "Looks like dinner is set. Let's adjourn to the dining room and continue there, shall we?" He held out a hand to walk Hermione in like a good host was expected to do.

Luna was telling Hermione all about the joys of having a new baby. Last year she and Ron had broken it off...it hadn't even taken a full month for Luna and Ron to get married and, _miraculously_, seven months later their daughter came into the world. Hermione didn't want to do the math or even think about it; Ron was happy, Luna was happy...she was happy now too. And so, there was no harm done. Mrs. Weasley, _ahem_, Molly (at her insistence) had been gushing about how well Hermione looked and that she had some maternity robes she could give her. Hermione was very grateful to be out of the spotlight when they announced dinner was going to be served. Without even having to be asked, Fred and George grasped her arms and helped her up, escorting her right to her seat. "Thank you boys," She said, taking her seat next to Harry as everyone found their places and got settled. Hermione chuckled as Ginny and Neville were blushing as they sat next to each other. Grabbing her cup of sparking pumpkin juice, Hermione smiled, "I'd like to propose a toast, to our wonderful friends, you're like family to Harry and I. And to finally coming home."

A round of 'Here, Here' went up in agreement of Hermione's toast. All the boys, even Arthur and Dumbledore, downed their brandies like they were doing shots in a Muggle club. It surprised Harry a little to see Dumbledore like that. This man was so different from the calm and collected Headmaster of Hogwarts that he was used to. And even more different from the leader of the Army of Light and the Order that he had become for the last few years of the war. It highlighted to Harry just how little they knew of Dumbledore and how much that made him capable of doing what they suspected him of. "So, Molly...how is it having all these grandbabies to take care of so suddenly?" This was the way to start of the gentle probing, with simple common questions that could later lead to the answers they were really looking for.

Laughing heartily, Molly smiled, "Oh I love all my grandbabies. It's like having my old brood back at home! Why, there have been children at my house since Arthur and I were first married, it's wonderful to have them again. And besides, it gives me something to do." She leaned over at patted Hermione's hand gently. "I consider that child my grandbaby too. I hope you'll let us see him or her often!" Arthur nodded agreeably and kissed his wife's cheek gently. "Do you two know the sex of the baby yet or do you want it to be a surprise?"

Harry chuckled. "We do in fact know. Dobby is quite the skilled house elf." Harry motioned to the little elf helping Winky to bring in trays of food to be served. "Apparently when he was working for the Malfoys he was apprenticed with an old house elf that was experienced with pregnancies. Draco was coming along then, so he was taught everything she knew. Dobby performed a charm on Hermione to see the sex of the baby. And I'm happy to report," Harry took Hermione's hand and gave it a gentle kiss, "That in a few months we'll be bringing a beautiful baby boy into the world." It didn't even take a second for every female in the room except Hermione and Winky to coo in pleasant delight at the news.

Hermione didn't coo but she certainly did smile and pat her belly gently as she grasped Harry's hand. All the while she looked around at the faces, Albus was grinning like the Cheshire cat...but he wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary. Minerva was smiling broadly and speaking with Molly who was wiping tears from her eyes. Luna and Ron both seemed very pleased...just the twins seemed to be grinning conspiratorially. Hermione laughed, "And no, you two, you can't teach him all your pranks." Fred mocked pouted and George just grinned. "Maybe your boy will take over the shop once Fred and I retire. His father is our benefactor, after all. It belongs to him too."

Harry protested jokingly, spouting off about his boy growing up a proper wizard gentleman. Everyone broke down in laughter when Ron moaned out, "Not another Malfoy!" It took a while for them all to quiet down again after that. The food was laid out on the table in front of each person. It looked absolutely fabulous, and everyone took turns letting Dobby and Winky know it. The two elves blushed and went on about great and powerful wizards and witches being too kind in there thanks. Harry decided then that he had a new mission in life. Hermione's House Elf right campaign may have failed, but Harry would see to it that Dobby and Winky developed a strong sense of self; it would do them both, and every house elf, some good.

From what Hermione could see, everyone was acting normal—or, in Luna's case, as normal as they usually were. The only person that seemed even a little bit off was Percy but Bill had gracefully pointed out that Penelope and he were currently separated and she had taken their children away from him. What was even worse was that she was sitting being suspicious of everyone when they all seemed to be wishing her the best. Dinner was delicious and every once in a while she would lean over and give Harry a soft kiss or grasp his hand. Once everyone had begun eating and talking loudly amongst themselves, Hermione leaned over to her husband. "So far, so good..."

Harry nodded in agreement to her. So far, so good; but that was troubling as well. What if they had been wrong and this hadn't been a plot of one of these people? That boded well for their friends and their trust in them, but it left a bigger problem in its wake. Turning to Hermione, Harry whispered into her ear, "If it wasn't any of them...then who was it?" They would be back to square one with no viable suspects. Had it been the Prophet? Rita Skeeter was well known for making the news up, maybe she'd finally decided to not only fabricate a story, but to make it real to give her credit? Could this be some weird, twisted plot by a Death Eater who had escaped justice? If so, then what was the point of bringing Hermione and him together like this?

It was strange that no one was acting up...no one here had any acting skills worth a damn. She'd seen Ron try to lie, she'd seen Mrs. Weasley do it...neither were any good. Percy, Bill, Charlie and the twins had no motive. Ginny would do it to help but she seemed too caught up with her own problems to be involved in theirs; Luna, too, had enough to worry about with her own family. Only Albus had the capability to lie through his teeth and smile while doing so... "Don't forget Colin, Rita, and Amelia Bones aren't here. I'm still waiting for a return floo from Amelia. Remember, not everyone is here."

Harry nodded and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. They could discuss prospective suspects later. If they attempted it now, then they risked being caught by the people here. Even though no one here seemed guilty, it didn't exactly rule them out. If they couldn't be taken off the suspect list just then, then it was too much of a risk to let them find out incase they were behind it. Harry finished eating his meal and watched as the others followed suit. Turning to Winky, Harry smiled. "Could you bring in desert Winky? I think we're all ready."

Molly Weasley served Hermione three helpings of the pasta without even being asked. By the time Harry asked for dessert, Hermione felt like she was going to be sick...and yet, as soon as the German chocolate layer cake was handed to her with mint gelato, that was it. In the meantime, she smiled at Neville who had been quiet the whole evening. "So, Nev, how's working at the greenhouses going?" She asked above the dull roar of the twins discussing new jokes with Bill and Charlie. "I hear you have quite the crop of Narcissus this year! I didn't think it was grown anywhere but in greenhouses anymore but I found that there is actually some growing on our grounds here."

Neville gave Hermione a small smile, his eyes darting over toward Ginny every so often. "Oh, work's fine. Nothing as exciting as when we were in school," Nothing could compare to the danger and excitement of D.A. training...especially in the latter parts of the war when they were training to fight for their lives. "We just got in a new shipment of Mandrakes that have to be potted tomorrow." When Hermione mentioned Narcissus flowers, Neville perked up. Herbology was his passion, "Really? You have some Narcissus on the grounds? Would you mind if I took a look at them sometime? We need to know how they grow outside of controlled greenhouse environments, and it's impossible without wild samples. But if you have them..." He was getting excited, and this would provide a good excuse to get Neville back to the manor sometime to gauge his loyalties and bring him to their side.

It wasn't unusual for Neville to be so excited about something so mundane. And so Hermione didn't think twice about it, "Sure Neville! If you want I'll show you after dessert. I'll just need someone else to help me down there...me being pregnant and all." Before Harry got a chance to invite himself along, she shook her head, "Not you, you need to attend to the other guests. How about you, Ginny? Since you didn't bring anyone tonight, you wouldn't mind." The girl knew better than to argue.

Neville nodded, "Yeah! That would be great!" Harry had to hide his smile at Hermione's genius. She would figure out where both their loyalties were, and how much they might know. By the time she was done they'd hopefully both be on the Potters' side of things. And all the while he'd entertain the guests and do a little more subtle probing. But it felt tedious. No one here seemed to be behind it, except maybe Albus. He was the only one they had anything resembling damning proof on, and he was well known to lie through his smile and manipulate others. Especially if he felt it was for the 'greater good.' Harry just hoped that Hermione had chosen correctly and that Neville and Ginny wouldn't be against them and be violent. After all, Hermione couldn't use magic right now and was therefore defenseless.

Finishing what was on her plate; Hermione sat back with a huff and rubbed her belly gently. "I can see now why pregnancy is an excuse to gain a lot of weight." She chuckled, "I seem to be doing my part in this." Kissing Harry gently, she grasped onto her chair as she lifted herself to standing. "If everyone is finished, we have a lovely fire going in the other room. Neville, Ginny, and I are going to walk out to see the Narcissus and the plants in the garden." It was well lit out there, thanks to Dobby, and she knew she'd be safe with both Neville and Ginny. "Come on you two, I know you'll want to get back before Harry opens up exploding snap!"

Harry waved to Hermione and the other two as they left. He rose from his chair and led the others to the sitting room for even more drinks and conversation. Ron was adamant about playing chess while the twins wanted to play exploding snap.

Neville followed close behind Hermione. He wanted to be ready if she had any trouble due to her sudden gain in weight. Ginny walked beside him perhaps a little too closely for mere friends. But after their amazing snog session when she picked him up from work, Neville didn't mind. Harry, Hermione, and Ron had noticed, and at least the two boys had given their consent to him and Ginny dating. Now he just hoped the rest of the Weasleys would give theirs as well. "Do know how long there's been Narcissus on the property? Or was it here when you both got here?"

Clue number one that Neville had no idea about what had happened was the fact that he genuinely wanted to know when things occurred...things that a person who knew they'd been away wouldn't think to ask. "No, I don't know how long...this estate predates even Harry's great-great grandparents, or so I've been told. It was built just one century after the death of Merlin. But it's surprisingly well preserved...for all we know, this could've been here since then." She noticed that Ginny was making eyes at Neville again and she turned to the both of them. "Would you two like some privacy to look at the rest of the greenhouse? My poor back is so sore from all this running around...being pregnant is a lot of work." She winked over at Ginny before starting toward the house, "If you have any trouble, call Dobby!" And with that she waddled away as fast as her bloated, pregnant butt could go. She really shouldn't have had that third helping of pasta AND the cake...

Harry made sure that everyone was taken care of. Dobby had brought down an antique wizard chess set that had once belonged to Harry's great-great-great-grandfather. The man had been a Minister of Magic and had been given the set by the French Minister at the time. Arthur was sitting down to play chess with Ron while the other Weasley boys were trying to get Percy's mind off his family troubles and onto exploding snap. Albus and Minerva were discussing the school and any improvements they could make for the next year. Harry excused himself to go check on Hermione. He found her two halls away making her way back to the sitting room alone. He gave her a playful smile while he caught up to her. "Giving Neville and Ginny some alone time?"

Harry's voice startled her somewhat but as soon as she realized it was him, she stopped and wrapped her arms around him. "They looked about to pounce on one another when I was standing right there. It was only proper...besides, I think this is a really big moment for Neville but especially for Ginny. Thus far in her life all she's cared about was having a rich, handsome boyfriend to support her. I mean, did you hear she dated Malfoy for a while?" Hermione shuddered and then pressed her body closer to his, "Neville is smart, handsome, funny, and she knows he'll treat her well. Maybe now she'll get rid of Oliver "I'll Do Anything that Moves" Wood."

Harry nodded as he wrapped his arms around Hermione. "She dated Malfoy?" He gave a shudder as well. "I seriously hope that relationship didn't go past snogging." He didn't want to imagine what would have happened if it had gone past that and Ginny had ended up bearing an heir to the Malfoy line. "She must have really been desperate." And Oliver...what was thinking on that? Harry had a soft spot for Oliver; after all he was the one who taught Harry everything he knew about Quidditch. But the guy was a sleaze. Harry had played a season of professional Quidditch for Puddlemere with Oliver. He slept with anything that had breasts. And he was quite certain that Oliver's bed wasn't empty while he was away from Ginny. She might respect the relationship, but he doubted Oliver did.

"It was right after we graduated. She and Malfoy went at it like Kneazles for almost a year before he asked him to marry her and she said no." Ginny's commitment issues were more than glaringly obvious, especially to a woman who had also failed to commit in her one and only major relationship: Ron. "Oliver is just like Malfoy...well, okay, not JUST like him. I mean, he's smart, handsome, and he has money...Ginny wants to be secure in her relationship. She just doesn't know yet that it takes more than money and strength to make her feel safe." Tom Riddle had done a lot of things to Ginny that she'd never discussed...but the rational being in Hermione knew this had to be a way to heal that ache within her. "I'm thinking this could be a very important evening for her."

Harry nodded. He understood completely, more than anyone would ever know. Hell, he was still living a life that for years he'd felt he'd never get to live. Everything was because of Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort. Than man had possessed Ginny in her first year and done who knew what to her mind. And he'd continually tried to kill Harry. In fact, Harry never told anyone before; he hadn't expected to live through the final battle. Oh, he knew he'd kill Tom, he had to, but he had always believed the Dark Lord would literally battle to the death. When Harry had lived, albeit barely, he'd been lost as to what to do with a life he hadn't planned on being allowed to live. "Well, then let's leave them be." Harry looked up and down the hall before closing on Hermione and pressing his lips to hers gently. He'd wanted to kiss her like this all night, but with their guests in plain sight, it would have been inappropriate.

The urgency with which he kissed her tingled all the way down to her toes. Leaning back against the wall to help steady herself, she gently teased his tongue with hers. "Harry, I love you so much..." She whispered, breaking away from the kiss and resting her head on his shoulder. She knew her body, if she kept kissing him like this, they'd have to go at it here in the hallway and that wasn't a very good idea with guests around. "There was a time in my life that I thought I'd die old and miserable, without anyone to love...but you changed that for me, Harry. You've given me everything I've ever wanted, a family."

Harry kept her body held close to his own. He leaned his forehead on her and enjoyed the feeling of holding her in his arms. If they kept up the kissing like that then the guests would be getting type of entertainment than they had bargained for. "You've given me a family too, Hermione. It takes more than just me to make a baby. And I guess in a twisted way, we have to thank whoever put this all in motion." Harry would thank the person once they were found out...about two seconds before he hexed them into next decade and had them tossed in Azkaban. "I love you, too." He pulled away from her slowly and motioned toward the sitting room, keeping one hand on the small of her back. "We better get back to our guests, they'll be wondering why we disappeared for so long." He finished his sentence with a wink, and led Hermione back to the room.

She wanted to stay there forever, wrapped in his arms, their child between them. But she could practically hear Ginny and Neville snogging...not to mention if they stayed out there in the hall too much longer, people would come looking for them. And while this whole scenario was so volatile, Hermione wanted to make sure they kept tabs on everyone. When she got back, she found that a hush had fallen over the room. Luna and Ron were chatting quietly; exploding snap had been put aside for quiet conversation. Hermione got the eerie feeling that they'd been talking about them behind their backs. "So..." She said, allowing Harry to help her into a seat, "What has everyone been up to these past few weeks?"

Albus smiled and broke the silence to answer Hermione's question. The aged wizard's voice came out in his usual hoarse, semi-whisper. "Minerva and I have been pushing bills through the Wizengamot to better aid the students of Hogwarts. So far we've been able to set up a program that will set aside Ministry funds to help pay the tuition for students who can not otherwise afford it. And we currently have one going through that, with any luck, will set aside funds to help muggleborns and muggle-raised wizards and witches make a smoother transition to the Wizarding world, as well as to help pay for their tuitions and supplies." He gave the aged witch beside him a smile. "It was all Minerva's idea. Her inspiration was you, Hermione. Though you excelled in your studies, it was obvious you were struggling to acclimate at times. We hope that these new programs will help future generations to overcome such setbacks to their education."

Blushing, Hermione smiled, "I think that's wonderful!" She really jumped right into the wizard world with no clue (beyond what she had read) what she was in for. Of course, she had found her place eventually but it had taken many years and hard times to get that accomplished.

On a very different end of the spectrum, Ron spoke up. "Well I got a job at that potions place you work at, 'Mione. After I got your owl I felt I had to at least make sure you had a job when the both of you returned." Smiling sheepishly, Ron let out a small laugh, "I can't say as I regret it. They're paying me twice what I made at the ministry and I get to do something I'm actually good at, for once."

Harry cast a side long glance at Hermione while the others began to explain the various updates and changes in their jobs and/or home lives. An owl from them? They needed to see that. It could end up being a very important clue as to how this all happened. According to Madame Pomfrey, when last she had seen Harry and Hermione before they left for Rome they had been all over each other when in each other's presence. The way she painted the picture, they were too into each other to worry about sending letters. Another piece of the puzzle. Harry turned back to Ron and smiled. "You know, I want to tell you all about our trip, but I don't want to repeat anything you already read. I can't seem to remember exactly what I wrote in that letter, would you mind bringing it by sometime so I can see it?"

"Can't remember what you wrote?" George piped up from his seat, "Hermione must've really rattled the old brain there."

Fred snickered, "I bet she did!" He quirked an eyebrow, "You need to see the owl? It saved Hermione her job, isn't that all that matters?"

Hermione had been on the verge of speaking when Fred and George butt in. She shook her head, "I think Harry just wants to get a feel for the way things are. We've been away a long while, we've sort of lost touch with everything here. Why, by the time I get back to Ars Alchima I probably won't remember a thing!" Luna's dreamy voice rose over the group as she smiled at Hermione, "I have the owl at home still. Harry sent it to ask Ginny and I to look after the house. And I know everyone in this room received an owl informing us about the baby and apologizing for getting married so hastily..."

So they had all received owls? That was either it was a clever lie to try and divert suspicion from the guilty party or it was the truth and the guilty party really wasn't here. Either way it would help to see the owl. "Then it's settled." Harry left Hermione's side to engage Ron in an ill-fated game of Wizard's Chess. He could command people into battle and defeat Dark Lords by the handful...but sit him down with a chess set and Ron as his opponent, and Harry was useless. But it was all in good fun. At least he'd gotten better over the years; now it took Ron almost ten minutes to beat Harry in a speed game instead of the two minutes it took when they started playing in first year.

It wasn't much longer before Arthur Weasley had fallen asleep in his chair and all of the Weasley kids (save for Ginny and Percy) needed to get home to their children. Neville and Ginny returned shortly after Albus and Minerva excused themselves for the evening...Ginny smiling like a schoolgirl and holding Neville's hand. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the two of them. Sleep was rapidly overtaking her and she allowed Dobby to clean up without question as Harry took her upstairs. While she had every intention of making love to him, her exhaustion took over and within moments of crawling into bed, both were sound asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright everyone, we're really going to start heating up this mystery. The next chapter is going to be a very, very big revelation for our favorite couple! Please take the time to read and review! I have loved reading all of your predictions for the culprit(s) of our mystery! Keep them coming! We'd love to hear what you have to say!**

**Happy reading and have a wonderful weekend!**

**Marina & James**

* * *

Harry had woken up relatively late compared to when he normally rose from bed. It was about nine in the morning when he got up, careful not to wake Hermione. She hadn't slept much lately, and he didn't want to deprive her of any sleep she was finally getting. He slipped into a dressing robe and padded down the hall to his private study. He needed to get their finances up to date and add Hermione to the family accounts. He chanced a look out the window, smiling at the sight of the beautiful manor grounds bathed in the late morning glow. He was just about to open up the Potter finance books when a small brown blur flew through the window and dove at his head.

Harry ducked in time to avoid any damage and stared at a sight he thought he'd never see again. A small brown owl carrying a letter that was about as big as its body and flying like it was hopped on sugar. For some reason, Harry had thought this particular owl had died. "Hello, Pig. Is that letter from Ron?" The little thing owl dropped onto the desk a little too fast giving a resounding thud. Harry was worried for it until it jumped back up and shook its head like nothing had happened. The sight made the Boy-Who-Lived laugh. He untied the letter from Pig's leg and gave him an owl treat before the owl shot off out the window like gun shot.

He watched the retreating form of Pigwidgeon before looking back down to the letter. He popped open the letter. He scanned the note a few times, his jaw tightening as he read. As soon as he spotted the signature, Harry jumped to his feet, "SON OF A BITCH!" He regretted yelling as soon as he'd done it, having forgotten Hermione was sleeping just down the hall. He hoped she wasn't woken up by that. His emerald green eyes dropped back to the parchment in his hands, anger radiating off him. "How could they fall for this?"

Hermione had been having the most pleasant dream that she and Harry were wrapped up in each other's arms, back in that hotel room in Rome. She wasn't enormous or hormonal or anything of the sort, they were just enjoying being together. That was, of course, before Harry's barking voice roused her quickly out of bed. Sitting up, she yawned and pulled her nightgown down around her body as she hurried—as fast as any pregnant woman actually hurried—into the other room. "Harry," she called sleepily, "Is everything alright?"

Harry looked over at Hermione in the doorway and sighed. He walked over and gave her a brief kiss. "Sorry I woke you up, love." He held the letter up to her. "Ron and Luna sent over the letter that they got from us. On the upside, there's a note attached that they sent Winky a package of snacks for you that Luna enjoyed when she was pregnant. So if you want them, just let Winky know." Harry moved back to the desk and sat down heavily. "On the downside, you'll notice the handwriting in that letter from us isn't mine...or yours. That's not even how I sign my name! I'm disappointed our 'friends' didn't catch that little fact after years of letters from me over the summers."

Kissing him softly, she allowed him to lead her over the settee. She grasped the letter and shook her head, "No, this certainly isn't our handwriting...but then, whose is it? And why didn't they use a charm to match your handwriting to theirs." She frowned harder when he began to blame their friends, "Come on now, love, we were acting very strangely before we disappeared, according to Madame Pomfrey. Maybe they thought that you just wrote so hastily that it didn't even look like your handwriting. It's been a while since we had to analyze every letter for falsifications like we did during the war. I'm sure they didn't fail to recognize your handwriting on purpose."

Harry shook his head. "But that's not all. I'll forgive the mistaken handwriting. Hell mine might look like that if I was in a hurry to get back to you." He gave her a smile and a wink, "But what about the signature? I never sign 'Harry Potter" unless it's a letter to the Daily Prophet or a business letter. That's strictly a formal signature. Think back to our letters in school, Hermione." He fixed her a questioning gaze. "When have I ever written to you or any other friend and signed another way other than simply 'Harry'?"

"It was a letter that went out to the whole family. Maybe they thought that YOU thought it'd be more official that way." She folded her arms over her belly, "I'm not trying to make this easier on the criminal here, I'm just saying let's not blame everyone just yet. Someone is behind this...someone we know. But who?"

Harry shook his head again, running his hands through his hair. "You know as well as I do that if I ever were to take a formal approach with Molly, she'd hang me out the window by my toenails." Harry stood up and walked over to Hermione, wrapping his arms around her. "At least this proves that it couldn't be a close friend. They'd never make that mistake. That means that it had to be someone who knows us, but not well enough to know not to make that mistake."

Hermione thought about that for a long moment. "So that rules out Ron, Neville, Ginny, Luna, Arthur and Molly...and I'd almost say that exonerates Albus, but right now he's our best lead." Dumbledore would know better than to sign a letter and leave it that way. "This reeks of childishness...someone is either really stupid or brilliant beyond the point of reason. Perhaps both..." She leaned against Harry gently, her hand rubbing circles over her ever-expanding belly. "Colin would know better too...I don't think he'd do this. But Rita, she would, and she could make a juvenile mistake like this."

Harry nodded his head and started to lead Hermione out of the room. "I can try finding some of those old interview request letters Rita sent me in the past. If the handwriting is close, it could implicate her." This was getting complicated, but at least they'd ruled out a few people. Now they could try getting some of their friends to help them find out the truth behind it all. "Let's get some breakfast love, and then we can hit the trail on this mystery some more."

"You must've read my mind...either that or my stomach really is growling that loudly." Ever since she had woken up from her time in Rome and discovered she was pregnant, Hermione had been ravenous. As a girl she ate lightly, never really caring for food. Of course she had cravings during her monthly time but...never like this. As they sat down at the table, Hermione smiled at Dobby, "Good morning, I'd like eggs with strawberry jelly and bacon on a biscuit with a side of strawberries, peaches, and sausage." Well, at least it was edible (and breakfast food).

Harry chuckled at Hermione's appetite. It never ceased to amaze him what weird combinations she'd crave next. At least this one was semi-normal...in the fact that it all belonged in the breakfast food category. Beyond that he wasn't too sure. "I'm going to add you to the family accounts today. It should have been done sooner, but I never got around to it with all the hassle of trying to solve the mystery of our marriage." He gave her a soft smile. "I'll have Griphook send over a bottomless money pouch that you can use to pull money straight from the accounts."

Blushing, Hermione took a drink of the pumpkin juice set before her. "Harry, you don't have to do that. I have my own money…I'm not as poor as you seem to think. Besides, that's your money. I wouldn't feel right using it..." It was awkward. On the one hand, yes they were married and he was entitled to what she had just as much as she was to his.

Harry shook his head and smiled. "Hermione, we're married. You are a Potter now." He took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles. "Between the inheritances from the Potter and Black families...plus the overhead I make on my investments with the Weasleys and the other businesses, and my work at the Ministry, being on the Wizengamot, I make more money than I know what to do with. You keep the money that you got from your parents, use that to spoil yourself or whatever you feel like doing. But I want you to know that the money from my family, from our family, is here for you whenever you might need it. Face it; you married one of the richest Wizards in Britain, love. You might as well take advantage of the fact."

It was uncomfortable for her. In her family, her mother and father were equal partners; bringing in two equal incomes, parenting in unison...Hermione wasn't sure she liked him providing for her like this. Yes, of course he was her husband and they shared everything. But this was his money they were talking about...money she hadn't earned. "Harry, that's just it. I don't want to take advantage of you. If you want I'll buy things for the baby with the money in your vault but, like in Madame Malkin's the other day, you shouldn't have to pay for me."

Harry shook his head and smiled again. "Love, I wanted to buy those things for you. You know what it was like for me at the Dursleys. It was hell. I never had anything of my own...only hand-me-downs. And now I've got money and it's too much for me. I want to share it." He gave her a lopsided grin and a soft kiss. "Who better to share it with than my wife?"

Returning his kiss, she sighed softly. "It'll take some getting used to, that's for sure. I've always taken care with money. Why, I was in seventh year before I bought new Hogwarts' robes. And the only reason I did was because the skirt was too short. I had grown seven inches since first year!" Now, not even those 'new' robes fit...she'd had to switch to maternity robes, which would have to be replaced again as she got bigger. It was a new experience for her. "Well, it'll be nice not to have to pinch sickles for a change. I think my first expensive purchase as your wife should be wedding rings for us. I mean, our license is legal and I think we should make everything official."

Harry nodded. "Well then, when we go to Diagon Alley to pick up that money pouch for you we can do that as well. We'll stop at the jewelers and see what rings they have. And if nothing suits our fancy...then we'll commission a set for us." Harry gave Hermione a kiss again and leaned back in his chair. "Finish breakfast so we can get dressed and get down there." They'd have rings soon, with any luck. Then they'd feel more like a real married couple. He couldn't wait.

Breakfast was calling her name but she felt terrible eating like a starved woman when he was so daintily eating his food. He seemed to notice and gave her his permission immediately. She nodded and powered down the last of her delicious meal. When the plate was empty, she sat back in her chair, sated. "What do you say we get changed...I think I need some help." She winked enticingly and gave him a soft kiss before hurrying back to their room.

Harry didn't need to be told twice. He was up and out of his chair before she was five steps away. He followed behind her, hands on her hips, as they made their way up the stairs. Once at their room Harry leaned in to kiss Hermione. "So...you need help getting dressed?" He ran his hands up her arms and over her breasts. "Or undressed?" He took a step towards her to close the distance between them and pulled her tight against his body. He loved the feel of her, the way the she seemed to fit perfectly against him.

"Whichever you prefer, Mr. Potter," She giggled, leaning up against him. "Although undressing sounds best…maybe we ought to try that first." Her body was clearly showing the signs of its sweet burden and she molded completely against him. For now, her belly didn't inhibit them holding each other close; it merely reminded them how very close they were. "I want you all the time...it's irrational, really. When we were at the dinner party last night I wanted to press you up against the wall and take you hard. But then I was just exhausted after the party...we ought to make up for it now." She bit her lip gently. "You must think I'm such a wanton."

Harry chuckled and ran his hands through her hair. "Hermione, if you being a wanton makes you want to sleep with me all the time, then I happily accept you as a wanton." He leaned in close and whispered low in her ear, "Truth be told...I wanted to take right on the table last night and make you scream my name." He gave her his most seductive grin and then attacked her lips with his own. God, the things this woman did to him! She was like the worlds most powerful drug, and he was happy to say he was definitely an addict.

The lust in eyes and the soft timbre of his voice drove her wild. The second he spoke of taking her on the table, she pulled the robe off of her to reveal that she wasn't wearing anything beneath. She knew that she had to be on the top now; their days of normal 'missionary position' sex were over. Inside of her, their tiny child was forming, growing hale and hearty, and rounding his mother's womb as he did so. And because of that, she was the one who pressed him back onto the bed. "I want you so badly, I need you."

Harry went wide eyed when Hermione revealed she was wearing only her birthday suit under her robe. He allowed her to push him back so that he fell onto the bed. He loved being in control of their love making, but with her needing to be on top now, he would gladly admit that he didn't mind giving her a turn at being in charge. His lips latched on hers, teasing her tongue with his own. He began to trail kisses down her neck and over her collar bone, giving tiny playful nips as he went. Harry looked into Hermione's eyes and smiled. "Show me how much you want me."

Kissing down his face and chest, as far down as she could reach with her belly in the state that it was. She let her bushy brown hair fall over her shoulders, tickling his skin as she seated herself over him and began to rub the swollen length of him. In turn, he caressed her neck and breasts, sending heat searing through the middle of her, "How?" She whispered breathlessly, "Tell me how I can show you, Harry. I just want you so much, I love you."

They had never tried this before...and what better time than the present? He gave her a shy smile and felt his cheeks start to heat up. He was sure that he was doing a great impression of a tomato. "Umm...rough? I want it...umm...rough…well you know...as rough as is safe for you and the baby." Okay so dirty talk wasn't Harry's strongest point. But if he did say so himself, he'd left little to doubt what he was thinking.

Rough? He wanted to take her rough...she smiled wickedly. "Well, I can try. I'm not much for hurting people but..." Instead of finishing her sentence she leaned down and nipped at the side of his neck and then nibbled down his chest to his nipples. When she got there she scraped her teeth over the flesh, her nails coming to rake down his abdomen as she pressed her body against his. The fear and worry were evident in her eyes...she really didn't want to hurt him. But at the same time the fear and pain excited her. She was so desperate to orgasm that she pressed her nails hard into his side...she could not hold on much longer. "I need you now, please, Harry."

Harry gave an audible wince at the feeling of her teeth and nails on his skin. It was slightly painful, but he liked it. It didn't hurt too much; on the contrary, it felt good. It definitely added a whole new level to their love making. When Hermione told him of her need for him, accentuated by her nails in his side, Harry couldn't agree more. Using one hand he positioned himself at her entrance as best he could from under her. With a quick upward thrust of his hips Harry was buried inside her to the hilt. He let out a pleased sigh at the feeling of her around him again. "You need me? Then take me...I'm already yours."

Hermione knew he was hers, she felt it in the way he held her, in the way he kissed her. It was made all the more poignant in the way he captured her lips, nibbling and sucking at her tongue as their sweat-slicked bodies slapped against one another. For minutes of her life, Hermione didn't think of anything else. All she knew was Harry and this child inside her; there was nothing else that mattered. "Please, Harry," She bucked her hips and gripped him harder. She needed him to fill her, to complete her. It was all she would ever need.

Harry groaned in pleasure at the feel of Hermione's body against him. This was so much more than they'd ever experienced...at least that they could remembered. It was rougher than normal, but not painfully so. It brought a whole new level to their relationship, brought them closer. It was an immense turn on to Harry that they trusted each other enough to let go of a little of their mutual control to be this way. His tongue rubbed against hers as their bodies moved to time with each other. Her words made it all the more erotic for him. He was close to the edge; he could feel it fast approaching.

There were a lot of things that Hermione wouldn't risk doing for fear of potentially hurting their son. But this kind of sexual pleasure with a hint of pain was driving her to levels she had never before reached. It felt as if Harry had captured her soul as he dazzled her body. Since she was on top, she took even more pleasure in watching him beneath her, his wild green eyes dilated with pleasure as she moved over him. Her whole body was flushed and her heart pounding; it was only making love that could do this to a woman. Groaning, she tightened around him with force, her entire body shuddering with the pulsations as she came around him. Colors exploded; something inside of her changed irrevocably...and she knew she'd never go back.

When Harry felt Hermione tightening around him in the midst of her own orgasm it was too much for him. He spiraled over the edge of their sweet mixture of pleasure and pain, following closely in her wake. He felt the telltale tightening in his lower abdomen as his hips bucked out of his control. Moments later his lips captured hers in a searing kiss while his seed spilled itself deep inside her. If she wasn't already pregnant there was be little doubt in Harry's mind that this single act would have made her so. But he wouldn't change any of it for the world. He loved her more than he loved air in his lungs. He sat up, pressing his body to hers and wrapping his arms around her waist as best he could. Harry trailed soft kisses along her jaw and whispered in a shaky, breathless voice, "Merlin...that was amazing. I love you."

Collapsing against him, she held Harry tightly as she possibly could. In the last few weeks, since as far back as she had clear memories that was, she had gotten noticeably bigger. The child within her womb was strong and healthy...it made Hermione proud. Her son grew much like her love for Harry. It was deeper, larger, and more powerful every single day. "I love you too," She whispered, tears forming in her eyes. But they did not fall; they just shimmered in her eyes as she gave him several more lazy kisses before carefully pushing herself to the side. She chuckled lightly, "I don't want to crush you...I'm already starting to weigh as much as a small dragon."

Harry chuckled and shook his head. He lay back on his side wrapping an arm around Hermione lazily running his fingers over her breasts. "Love, if I can stand what we just did without it crushing me then I doubt you merely sitting on me will do much more." His lips lightly kissed hers once more before he continued. "Besides, I think Hagrid will agree with me that you do not weigh anything close to a small dragon. Remember Norbert? He was over two hundred pounds after only a couple weeks. And that Hungarian Horntail I faced in fourth year was probably born around a hundred. Face it, love, you might be gaining weight, but not as much as you think. Besides...I think it makes you look damned sexy."

Chuckling, she kissed him again. "Will you still think I'm sexy if I ask you to go get me some ice cream and vinegar?" She asked innocently, "I know I just had breakfast but you've worked up quite an appetite in me." She kissed him softly again, putting on a more serious face, "Harry it means everything to me that you're standing beside me, that you're not disgusted be me—or if you are, you're doing a damn good job of hiding it. I feel..." She paused to breathe for a minute, "...raw sometimes, unsure of myself."

Harry sat up and started to roll out of bed to get her little snack, "Of course, babe. You know I'd al-" His trailed off as she voiced her concerns. Harry stopped midway through standing up and flopped back on the bed. He turned to stare at her with a serious look. "You do not disgust me. Far from it in fact. Don't get me wrong, I'd love it if I could remember what it was like sexing you up like this before you became pregnant...but it's not that big a deal to me. Besides, I'd bet that within a few months of giving birth you'll be back to your old size, especially if you decide to take up the old D.A. exercises again." He reached a hand up to softly stroke her cheek, "The brightest witch of our age unsure of herself? Unthinkable." He gave Hermione another searing kiss. "I'd love you even if you were a thousand pounds and the size of a muggle blimp!" Harry gave her a smile and then stood up to leave the room. "Now...I believe someone wanted an ice cream with vinegar?"

"You are quite possibly the sweetest wizard to ever live," Hermione leaned forward and captured his lips again. "And I love you more than I will ever to able to tell you. I suppose having your child is the best way I can show you." The way she saw it, there was nothing greater than this that she could give; it was she that carried his child at great personal sacrifice. But she would do it a ten score times to make him happy and to show him that she loved him. "Yes, mint ice cream, extra vinegar...and if we have any chocolate frogs those would be nice too. If I am going to be pregnant and get enormous anyway, I'm going to enjoy myself." She chuckled.

Harry nodded and turned on the spot. With a soft pop he disappeared from the room. A moment later he reappeared with a large bowl of mint ice cream, a bottle of vinegar, and a few packs of chocolate frogs. "I need to remember to at least put a robe on before doing that. I think I gave Winky a heart attack when I appeared in the buff." He gave Hermione a shy smile and handed her the snack items. Harry plopped back down on the bed beside her while she prepared her treat. "I still don't understand how a little life growing in you can make you crave the weirdest things imaginable. Makes me sort of glad I can't get pregnant. I don't think I could handle ice cream and vinegar."

Kissing him softly, she smiled, "Thanks love." Immediately she poured half the bottle of vinegar into the bowl and began mixing the two together. She laughed when he spoke of Winky, "I think she has a little crush on you, is all." She took a bite and let out a soft moan, "This is delicious..." When she looked over and saw his face, she laughed, "Are you sure you don't want any?" She teased and laid back, the bowl resting on the swell in her belly. "You know, I read in one of the books that pregnant women have cravings in order to acquire nutrients they need. For example if my body is iron deficient, I might crave red meat or something else high in iron. There must be something that my body needs out of this vinegar!"

Harry gave Hermione a curious gaze. "No," He slowly shook his head, his eyes drifting to the bowl with a weary look. "What could possibly be in vinegar that you need? Other than overwhelming sour?" He made a nasty face and stuck his tongue out like he'd just tasted something gross. "I love you...but I think I'll pass on that vinegar ice cream. Thanks all the same." Winky had a crush on him? He figured she'd have a crush on Dobby; she practically followed him around like a lost puppy as it was.

Shrugging, she simply patted her belly. "We'll ask your son when he gets here. For now, I just know that I want to eat it, _badly_." She opened up one of the chocolate frogs and wrestled with it until she finally was able to take a bite. "We should start thinking about names, I think. I mean...I'd like to talk about it, if that's okay with you. Unless you want to go over something else like our meeting with Amelia Bones this afternoon."

Harry shook his head. "Names are what we should be thinking of. It is long past time that we decided what to call him when he comes out." Harry reached over and ran his hand in lazy circles over her belly. "Isn't that right, little guy? What do you want to be called? Adam? Michael? Nicolas?" He chuckled when he felt a few small movements under his hand. "Okay...those didn't feel like he liked the names. You got any ideas, love?"

"Well, we can always go with something like Peter or Carrington..." She looked down at her belly and thought for a long moment. "Or we can give him a name that means something, a legacy perhaps. We could name him James or Sirius; maybe we could do some research into your family's' names and give him a real Potter name."

Harry bit his lip as he thought back to the family tree he'd seen in the Potter Family Vault at Gringotts. "Well, James was a popular name among Potters. So was Charles. Those were the only names that came up frequently. As far as I know I'm the only Harry. There were a couple boys named Anthony on my mom's side of the family. But they mostly had girls and girl children are given flower names. Boys were as few and far between, as girls are in the Weasleys."

Rubbing her belly thoughtfully, she sighed. "Well my family isn't known for producing a lot of children. Both my parents were only children, they only had me...I never met my mum's parents, they died even before my mum married my dad..." Sighing, she bit her lip, "Maybe I ought to get one of those baby name books from the library. Our son should have a wonderful name..."

Harry nodded slowly. "Maybe he could be the first Sirius in the Potter clan? Sirius James Potter." He mulled it over for a bit before turning to Hermione. "What do you think?" It sounded to him like a good name. It was a perfect way to honor his father and godfather. "I kind of like it." He hoped she liked it. But at the same time he'd understand if she wanted something else, something more original.

Leaning over, she rested her head on his shoulder. "Don't be mad at me, Harry...but I think we should see our son before we decide one-hundred percent that we're keeping one name or another. And I think we should have several choices." She bit her lip, "I mean what if the kid comes out and he looks like a Steven or, Merlin forbid, a Tom." She smiled, "I love the name Sirius James...but I'd like to think about it more."

Harry nodded with a small smile. "I agree that we should wait. But, at the same time I'd like to have something to call him other than him or little guy. At least for now, until we see him and decide on something permanent," He was thankful that she thought the name was a good one. He really wanted to call his son Sirius. But he didn't want to make Hermione feel pressured into choosing a name she didn't really want. "Do you have any ideas for names?"

"Well...we could name the baby Cedric." She said softly, her eyes meeting Harry's as she suggested it. "I mean, it'd be a nice way to remember him. Or we could always go with some sort of variation on Harry, like Harold or something, to name him after his father." She gave him a soft kiss and finished off the last chocolate frog before setting her bowl aside. "Or maybe something will come to us, something spectacular we haven't even thought of yet."

Harry nodded his head. Cedric would be a good way to honor their fallen comrade. "No Potter has ever been named after their father or mother before. It was always different names. He'd definitely be unique in the family, the first to be named after his dad," He gave Hermione a wink and leaned over to kiss her belly. "Whatever name we decide on...it'll be the right one. And if it's not…well that's why they allow people to change their names." He gave her a soft chuckle and kissed her lips softly. He made a spitting sound and shook his head immediately after breaking apart form her. "Gross! Ice cream and vinegar; I was right...it doesn't taste good."

Hermione felt love burst inside of her as he leaned down to kiss the stretched expanse of her belly. He loved this child, she could feel it. The way his hand skimmed over the skin there, his lips seeming to seek out the source of their son's fluttering movements. "I love you," She whispered but the romantic mood was quickly made comical when he kissed her lips and came up spluttering. "Well I didn't ask you to snog me senseless and force yourself to taste it," She teased and folded her arms playfully. "I guess I just won't kiss you again!"

Harry gave a gasp of mock hurt when she threatened to never kiss him again. He immediately pounced her and began to snog her brains out. After what felt like a good five minutes Harry broke away from her. "If you ever threaten to not kiss me again...I might just die of a broken heart." He mock fainted and then started to laugh. "I mean that seriously...that's not funny! You break my heart." He gave her a playful frown before leaning in to kiss her again. "Did I change your mind about not kissing me anymore?"

Hormones flared and tears ran down Hermione's cheeks. "Oh Harry, I didn't mean to hurt you." She sniffled, burying her face in her hands. "I don't want to break your heart or hurt you or anything of the kind." She wrapped her arms around him tightly as he kissed her, pouring everything she had into those few kisses. "I love you; please don't be angry with me."

Harry realized the hormones were flaring again when she started to cry. He immediately shushed her, running his hands over her back and through her hair. "Hey, I was only playing. Just like you were playing with me." He gave her a passionate kiss, pouring his love for her into it. "I'm not angry with you." He gave her a lopsided smile and kissed her again. "I'm sorry for making you think otherwise."

"No," She sniffled, "It's just me." She laid her head on his chest, curling up against him. "One minute I feel like I'm on top of the world, like nothing could possibly happen and the next I feel like crying. These hormones are making me go batty..." She rubbed her belly as she let out a strained laugh, "Thank you daddy."

Harry kissed her forehead gently as she curled up into his side. "No, it's the hormones. Nothing you can control." When she laughed Harry laughed along with her. "You're welcome mommy." He gave her a grin and idly stroked her hair. "Alright, so...this meeting with Amelia. You wanted to talk about it, right? What do you think we should ask her?"

Hermione gazed at him lovingly. He was so kind and understanding, he gave her everything she asked for, and many, many things she didn't. But that didn't change the fact that someone had done this to them. And whoever this person was, they needed to pay. "I think we should start with asking her who set up the appointment, then to see any forms we signed, maybe ask her if we seemed off or anything. We can't let her know too much, though...she runs the magical law enforcement division and we can't have this becoming a ministry case. We need to solve this one ourselves."

Harry's eyes drifted up to the ceiling, the many possibilities for what could happen at their meeting with Amelia were running through his head. This was going to be a lot more difficult than simply keeping their friends in the dark. Amelia was the head of Magical Law Enforcement and she had tons of Aurors in an out of her office at all hours of the day. She was trained to notice things that others weren't. That meant she was more likely to realize that their questions were odd for a couple to be asking, and that something might be up. It could be a good thing if she ended up being on their side; maybe she'd at least let them handle it on their own. But it could be bad if she was part of the plot, or like Hermione said, tried to take over the case. "It'd probably go over better if we told her that our questions were for Gringotts. Tell her that the Old Families had different procedures and we needed to make sure they were met for the bank to grant you access you my funds and such. She's a pureblood, but not from one of the Old Families, and I don't think any of her Aurors are from the Old Lines except Tonks...but she's not likely to know any of it, seeing as her side of the family was wiped off the tapestry."

Nodding, Hermione smiled, "That's a good idea. Every one of the old families has a different set of rules for who can access the vault and why. We could make this seem like an issue with the Black vault because you aren't technically a Black. Tonks and Draco are the last living members of the Black Family, after all. So even though you have access, getting your wife and child onto the access roster might be hard." Leaning over she kissed him, "You're brilliant!"

Harry gave Hermione his trademark lopsided grin and returned the kiss. "Well, not as brilliant as you. But, I do have my moments of brief genius." It was truly a good plan. There were only a few Old Families left; the Malfoys, Potters, Blacks, Longbottoms, and the Ambrosias family who were the line said to be descended from Merlin himself. Of course the plan could fail horribly if Amelia had taken to learning the old customs, but that was unlikely. She'd have no reason to.

Chuckling, Hermione nodded, "Only brief moments? Well I think the wizarding world would beg to differ." She hated to do it but they were already running behind. "Come on, love, let's see about a shower..." She bit her lip, "On second thought, we want to see Amelia before tomorrow afternoon so I'm going to do a cleansing charm."

Harry chuckled and stood up. "A cleansing charm? Why not a real shower?" Did she think she was too big? That it would take forever for her to wash herself? "You know I can take a shower with you and help you wash if you think you need it." He gave her a sly grin. "Of course, we might get distracted from washing by...other things." It seemed that they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Whenever they were alone like this, they went at it like bunnies. The shower would probably start off innocent enough, but Harry foresaw that quickly degrading to a wet love making session. That made it a good idea in his eyes, not like meeting with Amelia at a specific time was important to him. She always made time for Harry when he went in to visit; it must have been one of the perks of being a national hero and school friend of Susan's.

"That's what I mean, love," Hermione said, her voice coming out as a soft moan. "If we decide to take a bath or a shower, there's not much chance we'll ever make it out of this house. And while I'm not ready to pop yet, I want to have this mystery solved by the time I give birth. I don't want to go into that fearing for our son's safety." Kissing him softly, she carefully made her way out of the bed and grabbed her wand, doing a quick charm and then walking—more like waddling—over to the closet. "I think the grey set of robes we bought would look nice today."

Harry chuckled and made his way to the bathroom. "Well cleansing charms may work for you...but I need a shower." Cleaning charms were well and good, hell they'd saved him from feeling like filth when he was on the run in seventh year. But, there really was no substitution for the real thing. A nice shower always made Harry appreciate life more, especially after Hogwarts. That left Harry wondering if the house elves put something in the water to lift the spirits of their masters. It wouldn't surprise him. He stepped out of the shower five minutes later and used a drying charm to expedite the dressing process. He chose a set of black robes with the family crest on the left breast. "Alright love, I'm ready."

Winky helped Hermione tame her hair while Harry took a shower. By the time he was out and dressed, her hair was done in a neat twist that fell down her back. Ever since she had gotten pregnant her hair had been thicker, more shiny...it was supposedly an effect of pregnancy, one that made her bushy hair more manageable. "Let's get to work. Time is running out." She grasped his hands as they headed for the floo, "And your son isn't getting any smaller."


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews! We're getting into some very heavy drama now, the mystery is heating up bigtime! Since you're all such wonderful readers and reviewers, I decided to upload this chapter early! **

**Please read and review! And, of course, who do you think is behind it all? After reading this chapter, you might change your minds...**

**Have a lovely weekend,**

**Marina & James**

* * *

Harry tumbled out of the floo at the Ministry atrium. He always had trouble with any form of Magical transportation other than Apparition. He had to wave off the concerned fangirls and Ministry workers who came over to help him extricate his face from the floor tiles. He brushed his robes off quickly and waited for Hermione to come through. With her center of gravity being off because of the pregnancy Harry was worried she might tumble over and hurt herself or the baby. He wanted to be sure that he could catch her just incase.

Coming through the floo wasn't Hermione's favorite mode of transportation, but apparition was off limits to any pregnant woman. Splinching oneself while pregnant could cause myriads of problems for both mother and baby, and the ministry was very strict about it. When she barreled out of the floo, she fell right into Harry's arms with a slight shriek. She let out a sigh of relief when he caught her. "Thanks, I don't know what would've happened if I fell..." Not only because she could've hurt the baby but because she didn't know if she'd be able to get back up.

Harry hadn't expected the force with which Hermione came out of the Floo. She barreled into him with a force that would have knocked him over had he not been ready to catch her. As it was he took a couple steadying steps back and smiled at her in his arms. "No problem, love. That's what I'm here for." He helped to straighten her out and dust off her robes before taking her hand. The sight of that seemed to discourage many of the young ladies, perhaps confirming for them what the Daily Prophet had likely reported already. Harry led Hermione through the atrium toward the elevator that would take them to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Righting herself quickly, she nodded and then gave him a short kiss on the lips. People were staring at them, pointing and whispering. But then, Hermione was used to it by now. It wasn't the first time that she and Harry had been whispered about 'behind their backs'. Taking his hand, she followed him to the elevator where they would make their way to Amelia Bones' office. She was located on the fifth floor, right near the Department of Mysteries. Hermione did everything she could to keep the look of worry and uncertainty out of her eyes as they made their way up there.

Harry gave Hermione a smile and returned her kiss with a little more passion than she'd put into it. He wanted to leave a message with all the hopefuls out there: Harry Potter was off the market! The elevator ride was quick enough, but Harry noticed the look Hermione gave him. The Department of Mysteries was still a raw subject for everyone in the group that had happened there in his fifth year. Of course she was worried that he would get emotional, but that was because she didn't know about his moonlighting as an Unspeakable. He was used to the place now, only feeling a pang of guilt and sadness when he had to be in the Veil Room. Harry gave Hermione's hand a reassuring squeeze as the elevator attendant stopped them at the fifth floor, "Department of Mysteries and Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

The walk to Amelia's office was short. Once they arrived in front of her door, Hermione knocked carefully. She had been expecting a secretary or an advocate of Amelia's to greet them, but when the door opened, Amelia Bones herself stood smiling at them. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter, please come in! I've been expecting you!" She stood back and immediately offered them chairs. Hermione's eyes widened at the state of disarray; _this_ was how such a highly professional woman worked? Amelia blushed, "Please excuse the mess, we're packaging up all the pre-war files and it's becoming quite a project. We still have files in there from Grindelwald!"

Harry shook his head at the mess of files that were all over the office. It looked like a prank the Twins might pull on someone in Amelia's position; like a weak _reducto_ had been cast to blow up the file cabinets and toss papers everywhere. "You know, Amelia. I do side work for the Ministry at times. I'd be more than happy to come down and help you sort all this out." He eyed one large file on the ground with a picture of the Dark Mark on its folder sleeve. Voldemort's file. "It'd be nice to get an inside look at how things are run in this office. If Albus gets his way, I'll be running for Minister of Magic within the next two elections. And he has a knack for getting what he wants. It'd be best if I learned these things now so that if he does get me in an election I know what the hell I'm doing."

Amelia smiled softly, "That's very nice of you to offer, Harry, but these files are classified...even to Wizengamot members. Although if you wanted to read through Tom Riddle's file, I'm sure no court in the land would keep you from it." She had noticed his eyes on that particular file. "Anyway, you flooed and said you wanted to discuss something? I'm sorry, I don't exactly remember what we were to be discussing."

Harry smiled and nodded, "Of course Madame Bones." Harry took his seat next to Hermione, lacing his fingers with hers. "Well, I was at Gringotts trying to get Hermione added to my accounts and set up a trust fund for our son." He watched as Amelia smiled delightedly at the idea of having a baby. It made it all more poignant that she had never had children; Susan was the closest thing she ever had to a baby of her own. "We ran into a problem with the Black family vault. All the Old Families have different requirements for adding new people to the accounts. I got added because I was named the heir to the family. But since I'm not a blood relation to the Blacks I've had to jump through hoops to get Hermione added." He really hoped she was buying all this, they'd come too far to loose out now. "The Goblins want to see documented proof of our marriage. So we'd like to see the papers we had to sign to get married. And they want me to ask you if we were at all acting out of the ordinary when we came in. Something about ensuring the well being of two of the oldest accounts in the bank."

Amelia raised an eyebrow, "Harry, the marriage license which was issued to you is proof enough. I mean, those papers could be anywhere in the Marriage and Family Services department. I hate to break it to you but that sector isn't the best kept." She bit her lip, "But let me see what I can do." Standing up, she gave the couple a soft smile before walking into a small side office.

Hermione looked over at him, whispering softly to him, "Let's hope she can find it." Her eyes roved over the mess and she shook her head. "Maybe we could ask if the ceremony was recorded in any other way. I mean, sometimes they're recorded for a pensieve, you know, as procedure...would the wedding of Harry Potter be documented like that? I don't know...but it wouldn't hurt to ask."

Harry nodded to Hermione and raised his voice so Amelia could hear him. "It normally would be, it's for the Potter vaults. But each Old Family has its own set of requirements. The Blacks were always worried about the blood being tainted, so they set it up that the Goblins have to see all the records." He paused a moment to make it seem like he was double checking something while she was in the other room. "Did you happen to record the wedding for a pensieve? If so we could use that as well. The more proof the Goblins see the more comfortable they'll be."

Amelia popped her head back in, "Now that you mention it, I do believe they kept it in the ministry pensieve. After we find this paperwork I'll take you two up to Merlin's Court and we can go through it." She disappeared again and Hermione smiled triumphantly. They were going to find out what their wedding was really like..._finally_. Hermione had been wondering about it since they woke up in Rome.

Harry smiled and nodded. It was really working. They were going to get answers. Not to mention they would get to see the wedding, finally. It made Harry feel a pang in his chest that he and Hermione couldn't remember what, by all accounts, should have been the happiest moment of their lives. But this was better than nothing. At least they could see it and know what it was like. If this worked out right, they might even have their own copy they could watch it over and over again to relive the moment as best as possible.

Kissing him softly, she rubbed her belly. The past few days she had started to feel the baby move, like a little goldfish swimming inside of her. Soon, the baby would begin to kick and then the real fun would begin. Amelia bustled back in with a triumphant smile, "I can't allow you to take these, since they're ministry property, but we've already owled Gringotts and informed them that you are legally married." She handed them the slip of paper, "It was notarized February fifteenth, you two signed on the lines and my signature is just below as justice and witness."

Harry nodded and scanned over the documents. That was his signature; that was Hermione's. Everything looked legitimate. The only problem now was that she had owled Gringotts. Hopefully the Goblins would be devious as always and play along. They tended to have a softer spot for Harry over other Wizards, seeing as he went out of his way to be nice to them; most Wizards looked down on them and tried to take advantage of their situation. If they didn't catch on and play along then this could turn ugly. "Thanks, it all looks in order. You mentioned the Ministry Pensieve in Merlin's Court?" It was time to move this along. The sooner they got the evidence and got out of there, the better.

Hermione peered over at the document and let out a small sigh of relief. That was her signature there, although it looked as if she was slightly loose with her 'G'...perhaps she was just a bit giddy, and that's why she had written such a sloppy cursive letter. Hermione stood when Amelia nodded and motioned for them to follow her. She informed them that the pensieve could not be moved; otherwise she would've brought it to them. But Hermione didn't mind, she was going to find out what her wedding was like! And she couldn't wait. Gripping Harry's hand, she followed after Amelia to the court room at the end of the hall. "This is it," Hermione whispered; she could barely contain her excitement.

Harry could practically read the emotions on Hermione's face. She was scrutinizing her writing. Only Hermione would get upset that she had let her letters go a little loose on her wedding day. But that was why she was Hermione, and just another reason he loved her. Harry followed Hermione and Amelia to Merlin's Court, allowing the Director to explain the pensieve to Hermione. He himself was familiar with the procedures involved. As a Wizengamot member he had often had to review memories for court proceedings and the like. Not to mention drop his memories of Wizengamot sessions in for review. It was just the way things were done. He gave Hermione's hand a soft squeeze. "Yeah...this is it." He couldn't wait to see what it was going to be like. Harry waited for Amelia to isolate the memory before dunking his head in and submerging into the memory.

It took several minutes, as there had been so many weddings around Valentine's Day. But soon Amelia found it and stepped back for Hermione and Harry to take a look. Hermione moved behind him and joined him in looking at the memory, her hand still clasped in his as they were hurtled forward. She stood looking at herself and Harry standing with their backs turned to the present forms of Harry and Hermione. She was wearing a set of red dress robes that Hermione knew she had never seen before...nor had she ever seen after that point. Harry was actually wearing his Hogwarts' robes, which was strange in itself. Their words were slow and deliberate...Hermione quickly realized something. "Harry, we were _drugged_!"

Harry watched everything in turn. While Hermione focused on them, he was looking at who was present. It didn't take long seeing as it was Amelia and some nameless Ministry employee who most likely authenticated the wedding. As soon as Hermione spoke, Harry turned to see what she was talking about. And there was the proof, the slight swaying motion as they stood; the slow deliberate speech as if afraid to mess up, the odd choice in clothes. With how quickly Hermione had noticed, Harry was surprised Amelia hadn't. Of course, that could have meant that she was in on it. "Yeah...we were. But was it a conventional Muggle drug...or was it a potion of some kind?" He really wished they'd woken up sooner. By three months after the fact, any potion they had ingested would be long out of their bodies. If they'd woken up sooner a simple revealing charm would have told them what potions and spells were used on them. Too bad it was impossible to analyze the memory in that manner.

Walking around themselves at the altar of Merlin, Hermione sighed heavily. "I don't think this is muggle, love. I mean, generally muggle drugs have to be inhaled, injected, or ingested. If we inhaled something, then we'd be a lot more affected. I don't see any injection sites...and we don't have any reason to believe we ingested any muggle drug. Especially not when somehow we, or at least I, took a very strong fertility potion." She turned to him and gasped, "The fertility potion! Do you think it would've affected us like this? What if it was made incorrectly? Or if it was made with some other intent in mind, like some sort of lust potion..."

Harry slowly nodded. "That could be, love. But I think it's more likely that if they were able to get us to take one potion, then they probably could have gotten us to take two." He was getting angrier about this. Someone had really taken liberties with their lives. Even if those liberties had ended up being good for them in the long run. "I hate to say it...but I'm sorely tempted to Floo to Hogwarts and ask Snivellus if he knows anything about these types of potions. Hell the only thing stopping me is the fact that he's Dumbledore's lapdog and would likely run to tell the old codger as soon as we left."

Putting her hands on her hips, she narrowed her eyes, "Am I a potions mistress or am I not?" She frowned, her hormones flaring. "We do not need to involve Severus in this. And besides, this is obviously a very strong, volatile potion or potions...he could be a suspect! Maybe Dumbledore did ask him to do it...or maybe he did it to try and get back at your father, through you. Even as silly as that sounds..." The version of Hermione at the wedding let out a very unladylike snort and swayed against Harry again. Present Hermione pressed her hand to the swell in her belly and let out a wail, "Look at us, we don't even know what's happening!" Tears rolled down her cheeks, "This isn't how I wanted my wedding to be."

Harry was about to concede that though she may be a potions mistress, she also had less experience in the field than Snape had. But then she started to cry; Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. "It's okay, love. I always pictured my wedding, providing I lived to have one, being a grand event. The way Dumbledore and the Weasleys went on I always thought the Wizarding world would demand I have a lavish wedding and invite anyone who was anyone. I never wanted to be married while drugged out of my mind to a girl who was in a similar situation. Even if she is the only girl I'd ever want to marry." He gave her a soft kiss and smiled. "But hey, who's to say that we can't do it over again? We could say that this was a private wedding to uphold the sanctity of the event. Then we could have another one after all this is over and call it the public wedding. It'll be everything you ever wanted in a wedding."

Sniffling, she buried her face in his chest. "But it won't be the same!" She sobbed, her tears running down her cheeks. "As a little girl I dreamed about my wedding. It wouldn't be huge and grand but I'd have a pretty dress and my parents would be there...my father would give me away. But my parents aren't alive to see this and I'm glad. Harry, this is a disgrace!" She let out another bitter sob, "I couldn't even keep my eyes in focus when I said my vows to you!" She shook with sobs, "This is horrible."

Harry nodded slowly. He hated it when she was upset. And this was the worst he'd ever seen her…and that included the time Hermione caught Ron and Lavender snogging in the common room after the defeat of Voldemort. "I know, love. But don't you at least want to remember a wedding? We could do it over so that it's done right, as right as we can make it." He gave her a soft kiss and rubbed her back gently. "When we find out who is behind this...I'll make them pay. They'll wish they had never born." He'd invent a curse to turn someone inside out if he had to. But the person who was responsible for hurting his wife like this was going to be in a lot of pain when he was done with them.

Shutting her eyes tightly, she reveled in the feeling of his arms around her. "I love you so much. I'm sorry I'm being such a child about this!" She wiped her face, "It's just that, as you know, my parents were killed around this time, right before graduation...and I've been feeling insecure." She sniffled again. "I didn't want to say anything; I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. But it's not just my hormones that are making me act like some kind of crazy witch." Pulling away from him slightly, she looked back at herself in the memory, sloppily kissing Harry. "I'm glad my parents didn't see this..."

Harry nodded. The sight of her kissing him sloppily in the memory was almost disgusting. It wasn't that he was turned off by the idea of kissing Hermione, quite the opposite really. It was the fact that it was them, but not them. It wasn't real. It was a fabrication of some unknown potion. "I understand, Hermione. And you have every right to feel this way. Don't ever think that your feelings don't matter, or that they make you crazy. My mum would probably cry at the thought of this, and my dad would probably have run off to kill whoever did this to us. Most likely he'd be joined by your dad." He hoped that got a slight chuckle out of her. "I was going to suggest that we ask for a copy of this to keep for ourselves...but I think that's a bad idea now. It looks like the memory is two steps from degrading into a cheap Muggle porn movie. Definitely not the type of thing I'd want our children and grandchildren to see."

Nodding, she turned to him as their past selves stumbled down the aisle, giggling like schoolchildren. She closed her eyes and felt herself being tugged out of the memory. Her eyes were red as she turned to Amelia, "Thank you very much Madame Bones, we really appreciate this." But she wasn't about to stick around and talk about it. Pulling Harry back outside to the elevator, she wiped her eyes. "You know what scares me?" She asked as they stepped into the elevator again, "I could've already been pregnant..."

Harry bid Amelia goodbye, promising to get together with her to discuss a new budget proposition for the department at a later date. He followed Hermione to the elevator and wrapped his arms around her from behind while they waited inside the elevator. "I know. No telling when the fertility potion was administered, it could have been before we got together the night before, or anytime in the five days between then and your trip to Hogwarts." He didn't like not knowing everything. He hated not being in control. But most of all, Harry hated seeing Hermione have to go through all this. He was used to people pulling the strings of his life, forcing him to take action and thinking they were the supreme authority on the subject of Harry Potter. But Hermione wasn't used to it; she never should have had to go through this.

"And then we didn't leave for Rome right away...that means someone must've been waiting for us right outside Merlin's Court or had access to the fifth floor to bring us somewhere." She shivered as they flooed back to the Potter house. "What if someone watched us...you know, having sex?" She shuddered again, "I think I'm going to be sick..."

Harry rubbed Hermione's back gently. "Hey, don't think thoughts like that. I doubt that even in my drugged state I'd let that happen. In fact if I had to venture a guess, I'd say that potion seemed to have loosened our inhibitions. If anyone was fool enough to be in the room, they'd have a Harry Potter on their hands who was more likely to cast unforgivables to get them out of the room than to bicker about it." Of course what he wasn't voicing was that if inhibitions were loosened then that meant they were open to suggestion. They had proof that the baby was his, but if they were more likely to go with what someone said at the time, then the bastard could have had his way with Hermione just for kicks. Harry was tempted to ask Dobby if he knew a house elf spell to tell if someone violated Hermione.

"I'm sorry, I just can't help it." She lay back on the bed and closed her eyes, Harry's hands helping to soothe her. Her poor stomach revolted at the very thought of someone watching them have sex. But someone had obviously brought them back to somewhere, maybe even Hogwarts, and kept them together for a few days before sending them to Madame Pomfrey. After that they'd been sent to Rome...where Hermione and Harry 'woke up' several months later to find that she was pregnant and they were married and that everything was one big blur. "Whoever did this is sick...really, truly sick."

Harry nodded and lay down next to his wife. "I know, love." It wasn't her fault, even if his worst fear was true. She had no control at the time; he didn't have control either. The person who was responsible for this was at fault, and he'd make sure they paid. "You want me to bring something to soothe your stomach?" He could use that as an excuse to talk to Dobby. He was afraid to find out the truth, but he had to know.

Closing her eyes, she nodded, "Call Dobby and ask him if he'll bring me some peppermint tea. But please..." She whispered, "…don't leave." She rubbed her belly gently, nausea rolling over her. Lucky for her, she didn't remember most of the really terrible morning sickness (if she even had morning sickness at all). But she was feeling it now...she was definitely queasy. And she supposed that ice cream and vinegar hadn't helped the situation any.

Harry nodded slowly. Damn, he'd have to corner Dobby another time. "Dobby!" The little elf popped in with a small bow. "Hermione's not feeling well. Can you bring her some peppermint tea? It might help ease her stomach." Dobby gave them a sad look; he truly hated it when the Master and Mistress weren't perfectly okay. He could tell something bad had happened. With another pop Dobby was gone. Harry turned to face Hermione and gave her a soft kiss. "It'll be alright, love. I don't know how, but I'll find a way to make everything alright."

Hermione took deep, even breaths. She was trying desperately not to get sick, to not think about the terrible things that had happened. Instead, she tried to focus on the positive; she and Harry were happy, at least...she thought they were. "I love you so much Harry..." She whispered.

Harry smiled at Hermione and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "I love you, too." He was trying to stay focused on them being happy and together. He didn't need to be thinking thoughts about them being unhappy or people taking more liberties than they already had. "Just think of us…you, me, and our son. How happy we'll be raising a family." A family they both desperately needed and wanted.

Hermione was beginning to really worry. She was drugged...and pregnant...maybe at the same time. Some common potions, even Dreamless Sleep Draught which was sold in just about every shop in the wizarding world, could cause birth defects. When she heard Dobby pop back into the room, she thanked him profusely when he handed her a cup of steaming tea, just the way she liked it (with cream and sugar). When he started to move away, she called out to him, "Dobby...can you..." She swallowed and looked over at Harry, "Are you able to detect birth defects the way you detected the paternity of the baby?"

Dobby nodded but made a small squeak. At Harry's questioning gaze Dobby dropped his eyes to the floor. "Dobby can check, mistress. But...it's difficult for Dobby." His hands wrung the bottom of his shirt like he was trying to dry out a wet dish rag. "I's is having to check the magical core for that. House elves can't check a magical core no matter how powerful we is, unless we's is bonded to a wizard or family. Dobby isn't worthy to be bonded to the Great Harry Potter sir or the most Ancient and Noble House of Potter and Black." Harry could tell that Dobby was conflicted. He wanted to help, but he was a free elf. He'd probably willingly bond to Harry because he knew he'd be treated well, but he didn't think he was worthy.

Harry knelt down by Dobby and placed his hands on his shoulders. He leaned in to whisper in the little elf's ears so Hermione wouldn't hear. "Dobby, I'd be honored to have you bonded to myself, or the families. You are more than worthy. But you have to really want it. I don't want you giving up your freedom just because we're insecure." He smiled at the little elf and continued. "But if you do want to be bonded to us, is there a spell you can use to check and see if anyone else has been with Hermione...sexually? I don't want her to know you're checking for it. We were drugged for a while and I want to make sure no one took advantage of her like that."

Dobby gave a small nod of understanding and burst into tears. "The Great Harry Potter wants Dobby to be bonded to him?" He launched forward and wrapped his whole body around Harry in an awkward hug. "The Great Harry Potter is too kind! Dobby will gladly bond with the Great Harry Potter's family." He unlatched himself from Harry and ran a finger down his palm. A cut appeared along the path that Dobby's finger had gone over. Harry was about to stop Dobby when the little elf grabbed his hand and did the same. He then pressed their palms together and started to mutter in a language Harry had never heard but assumed to be the House Elves native tongue. Their hands glowed before a pulse of magic was sent out. Dobby stumbled back gripping his head and wincing. "Dobby is bonded now. I's needs a moment to rest, Master."

Hermione was reluctant to have Dobby bonded to their family. She had always been so staunchly in support of house elf rights...but then again, Dobby had always been blazing on the forefront right there with her. And she had clearly heard him say that he wanted to be bonded with them. And so if it was his freewill...Hermione wouldn't interfere. She looked away as the sacred ritual took place and Dobby's body sagged for a brief second before suddenly he perked up, his ears sticking straight up and his body seeming to take on a lithe quality to it. "Thank you so much Dobby," She said softly, drinking her tea as she rubbed her belly. She was already starting to feel better. "I'm just so frightened that something this person did to me could've hurt the baby. I don't know what I'll do if the baby has Fjord Finagle or the Kettering Curse..."

Harry was worried for Dobby. He looked in pain. But before he could ask if the elf was alright, Dobby seemed to get a second wind. "Are you alright, Dobby? That looked painful." He didn't want one of his earliest friends to burn himself out. "We can wait until morning if you need more time Dobby. I don't want you hurting yourself because of us."

Dobby shook his head vehemently. "Dobby just needed time to let his magic grow and to see how many properties Dobby is in charge of." It was a little documented fact that magical houses were usually keyed to their family's magic, thus ensuring the family retained rights there. When a house elf bonded to a family they became aware of which houses were in their care now and how to get to each with House Elf apparition. "Dobby can start now." He held out his hand, which showed no signs of ever being cut and watched as it began to glow with a faint blue light. The light pulsed out in a line to Hermione's abdomen and started to move up and down her body as if it were scanning her. Finally it settled on her stomach and Dobby frowned. "Little Master is fine...but...he seems sick." Dobby's eyes narrowed as he focused on reading the baby's magical core to see what was wrong. "Little Master has Dargon's Dyspia." And just as fast as it appeared, the light died down. Dobby turned to Harry and gave him a smile ensuring Harry that everything was alright on his end.

A strangled cry went through Hermione as she buried her face in the pillow. "No," She cried plaintively. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it around her body, shaking with sobs. Dargon's Dypsia itself was curable; it was a wizarding birth defect caused by the use of potions during the delicate early weeks of conception (obviously it had an effect) but if untreated, could cause a whole host of problems for mother and baby.

Harry nodded his head, grateful for the smile Dobby gave him. It meant Hermione was still his, and only his. But he had a bigger problem now, Dargon's Dypsia. "Hey, love." Harry moved over to Hermione and wrapped his arms around her. "It's only Dargon's. We can go to see Poppy tomorrow and she can fix it. It can't be fully cured until the baby is born...but she can keep it from becoming worse. You know as well as I do that just about everything has a magical cure now. This is no different." He gave her a soft kiss. "It'll be okay."

"No it won't be okay," Hermione snapped as she turned to him, her face red and puffy from crying. Her arms were wrapped around her waist, "This is terrible! Someone has hurt our baby, Harry. _I_ have hurt our baby because I couldn't or didn't fight back!" She was just pregnant enough not to be able to roll onto her belly, but she lay down on her side, burying her face in the pillows. "Oh my poor, poor little baby..." She gripped her belly, her entire body quaking with fear. "I'm so frightened..."

"I'm as much at fault as you are!" He hated these arguments. They always put a strain on them for a short time. "This person may have hurt him, but it's curable. It'll be fine. It's just another thing to add to the list of things to get whoever did this back for. And believe me, I'll make them suffer." The sorting hat had told Harry in first year that he would do wonders in Slytherin. Well this person was going to get a front row view of what Harry's Slytherin side really looked like.

Hermione's hormones flared dangerously, as she sat bolt upright. "You don't understand, Harry. You can't understand what it's like to carry a child in your womb, to nurture that child...and then to know that you've failed because you weren't strong enough." She felt so cold, so raw. And he just wasn't helping matters at all. "You should go make an appointment with Poppy..." A small sob tore though her, "I don't think I can look at you right now." Didn't he know how much she needed him to just hold her and tell her it would be okay? Instead he just kept playing the blame game, talking of vengeance and violence when all she needed was love.

Harry's jaw set tightly. What had he done wrong? He told her it would be alright, that he'd hurt the bastard responsible. What had he missed? He stood up slowly and left the room to floo Poppy. He walked down the hallway to his study and made the call. The appointment was set for late morning. Instead of going straight back to the room, Harry stayed in his study. She had said she couldn't look at him right now? Well he didn't want to make her do something she didn't want to do. Maybe he could finish his finance reports, he still so far behind because of that 'trip' to Rome.

As he walked out of the room, Hermione's cries became even more gut-wrenching, more desperate. For a time her sickness had abated but she was crying so hard that she began to retch, vomiting the ice cream and vinegar she had been trying so hard to hold on to. Winky came in to rub her back as Hermione cried, her voice weak and breathy, "I-I just don't understand it Winky, I've lived a good life, why, in Merlin's name is this happening to me?" Another sob echoed down the hall, "No, master doesn't care a thing about this. Do you see him here? I'm sorry Winky, I didn't mean to yell." Her voice was muffled as it carried down the hall, the sobs still just as heart-wrenching as before. She needed Harry now more than ever...but she couldn't force him, she wouldn't.

Her sobs came in through the door and made Harry stop halfway to sitting at his desk. His words came next, and made him wish he could hurt himself. He was being insensitive to her needs. Harry stood up and walked down the hall back to their room. When he entered he motioned for Winky to clean the small mess that Hermione had left and then leave. He walked over and sat on the bed rubbing her back gently. "Poppy said to come by late morning. She'll make everything alright then." Harry took a deep breath and leaned over to wrap his arms around her. "I'm sorry for not understanding."

Turning, she buried her face in his chest. "Aren't you scared out of your mind?" She cried, her entire body shaking. She couldn't even breathe she was so terrified. She wanted to scream, curse the fates, hex whoever did this to doomsday and back...and she wanted to hold the father of her child tighter than ever before. He was the only one who could remotely feel anything about this child the way she did. And yet he showed nothing, next to no emotion as he rubbed her back. "Don't you love this baby?"

"I _do_ love this baby. And I _am_ scared, Hermione." Harry shook his head and rubbed her back gently while he held her. "But I've lived most of my life hiding my emotions to avoid getting beaten by the Dursleys, or to keep Voldemort from getting his jollies off at how much he really scared me. It's not easy for me to show my emotions, love. Look how long it took me to finally tell you I love you." He wished he could make everything better for her. "I might not be able to show it very well Hermione, but know that I do care. And I do feel the same fear you do. I was trying to look on the bright side of things...to be strong for you."

For once, Hermione felt like she needed him not to be strong. She wanted him to cry with her, to lament with her...but he just stared at her with those big green eyes, torn between anger, grief, pain, and sickness. But she showed all of those emotions outwardly...he kept his locked behind those eyes, inside of him. She was feeling drained...but she could not sleep, not with the uncertainty in knowing if her child was alright or not. "Our son has to be okay...I don't think I'll survive if he's not."

"Just be positive. Think positively. If you don't, you'll go crazy." He gave her cheek a soft kiss. "He'll be fine. Everything will be fine. We'll get this taken care of tomorrow, and then we'll continue the search. And once we have the answers we need, the bastard who did this will pay. With their life if I get a say in the matter."

Hermione chuckled bitterly, "I am already crazy, Harry. I'm crazy with worry; I don't know what to do with myself. If there is something seriously wrong with this child...what can we do? Of course I'll love the child no matter what, I will give up everything I have for our baby...but what if he can't survive the birth? What if everything goes wrong?" She sniffled, "I can't lose anyone else."

Harry shook his head. "That won't happen. I swear it won't." Why did she torment herself with these thoughts? For the same reason he'd tormented himself about someone taking advantage of her. It couldn't be helped. "You won't lose anyone. The baby will be fine. And I am **not** going anywhere." He gave her a soft smile to try and reassure her. He needed her to believe him, or he was afraid he might lose her to her own fears.

"I wish you could promise me that," She whispered, leaning against him. Her hand rested on the swell in her belly. Inside of her, the tiny child moved. She could feel it, the quickening in her belly. Developmentally her child was normal...but then, couldn't a baby with something horrendous seem normal until the very end? She lay on her back, her hands running over her womb as she shook her head. She couldn't force a smile... "I do love you, Harry. I've just never felt like this before."

"I know, Hermione. And you shouldn't have to feel like this." He gave her a small squeeze to show his support for her. "We just have to stay positive. It's only Dargon's Dypsia. It could be worse, much worse. It could have been something with no cure. But we only got the dypsia. So it's nothing to worry about too much. Our baby will be fine, you'll be fine, and I'll be fine. And like you said...even if it were something else we'd love him all the same. It won't change how I feel about you or about him."

But there were so many things that Dargon's Dypsia could lead to...she just didn't want to think about it. "Please, Harry...let's not talk anymore. Just hold me," She begged, pulling him closer. "Hold me and your son, please." She needed this, to be held and comforted, and as selfish as it was...it had to be him.

Harry nodded and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. He pulled away briefly so that he could lean down and place a kiss to her stomach. "You'll be alright little guy. Don't worry." He came back up and wrapped his arms around Hermione. "Go to sleep, love. I won't go anywhere." He closed his eyes and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Their son had to be alright. It would break Hermione if he wasn't, and that would break Harry. As they both drifted off to what would likely be a restless slumber, their silent prayers went up to whoever was listening...asking them to please watch out for their son.


	9. Chapter 9

**Well everyone, this is a very poignant chapter! James and I decided to take a subject that very few (if ANY) fanfic authors have the gall to touch. For one reason, it's not a very pleasant topic, for another, there aren't many who know as much medicine as I do! Twelve years of school certainly paid off! **

**Please read and review! We want to know what you think! **

**Marina & James**

* * *

Harry awoke the next morning earlier than usual. He was used to being up at the crack of dawn to make Vernon's breakfast, even after being away from the Dursleys for close to ten years. Old habits really did die hard. But this habit wasn't the cause of Harry's early rising on this foggy English morning. He had an appointment with Hermione and Poppy to get the baby checked out and even though they weren't scheduled to be there until late morning, Harry couldn't help but wake up and be anxious to leave.

He quietly disentangled himself from Hermione's embrace, deciding to finally get those financial reports done while he had a free moment. They took him a good hour to completely, but he felt good that he'd finally gotten caught up. Rome had been a huge setback for him, especially since there were three months he couldn't remember. But it didn't matter now. He left the study and slipped down to the kitchen to grab some breakfast from Winky. Maybe surprising Hermione with breakfast in bed would ease her mind a bit. He slipped back upstairs with a tray full of traditional English breakfast items; English muffins, bangers and hash, pumpkin juice, bacon strips, and a few pancakes with various toppings. Thank Merlin for magic or he'd have never made it up the stairs with the tray. "Hermione," He whispered as he reentered the room. "Love, I brought breakfast."

It had been a dreadful night...Hermione awoke no less than two dozen times from terrifying nightmares. In some of the nightmares the baby was dead at birth, a hollow, blackened corpse of a baby. In others the child was born horribly deformed, unable to even eat because of his monstrous appearance. Worse still, she had one dream where the baby was born seemingly normal but a few years into his life, died suddenly. Each dream left her heartbroken, more fearful...

She heard Harry get up around five in the morning, her body still lying prone, unmoving. But he deserved some time to himself, time to think...maybe he could better grasp his feelings if he had some time to think about them. And so, Hermione stared at the ceiling, praying to any deity that would listen to protect her child. It wasn't long before Harry came in carrying a tray of food and moved beside her. "I'm not sleeping," She answered softly, her voice raw from crying. "And I'm not hungry either..."

Harry set the tray down on the night table and sat beside his wife, one hand gently rubbing up and down her arm. A pregnant woman who didn't want to eat? That wasn't a good sign. "Honey, I know you're upset...but you have to eat. The baby needs the nutrients. What do you think Poppy will say when I bring you in to the appointment and you haven't eaten? She'll yell at you for it...and then she'll hex my bits into last week. I'll have to get a Time Turner to retrieve them." He gave a soft chuckle in the hopes that he was somehow magically lightening the mood.

Hermione was not amused. She folded her arms, "Do not play that angle with me; I am scared out of my mind for this baby. Excuse me for not being ravenous for once. I will eat after we find out if the baby is okay. For now, if I put anything into my stomach it's going to end up all over your robes." Turning away from him, she shook her head. How could he possibly think that she'd be in the mood to joke right now? "But go ahead and enjoy your own breakfast...I'm not going to stop you."

Harry went from sitting to lying down beside her. She was really upset, far more than he thought she was. "I'm sorry for joking. I was just trying to lighten the mood." He gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body back against his own. "I won't make you eat right now if you don't want to...but I'm holding you to that promise. As soon as we get word on the baby, you're eating." He hated seeing her like this. It nearly drove Harry crazy that he couldn't make it all better by himself. He leaned over to place a soft kiss on her cheek and smiled a little. "Did you manage to sleep alright?" He had always been a light sleeper, side effect of have a deranged maniac and his lackeys trying to hunt you down most of your life, and he knew that she hadn't slept well at all.

Turning to look at him, the dark circles under her eyes gave more away than she wanted. "Listen, Harry, you're a wonderful man for caring about me and I love you...but right now, it's not about me. Our son is all that matters." She almost added 'at least to me', but decided against it. She didn't want to fight with him; she just wanted to find out about the baby. "I will eat when I am hungry, okay? Pregnancy isn't about stuffing your face all the time..." She looked down, "Besides, if there's something seriously wrong with our son, it might be better to end the pregnancy." She didn't want that…and she never, ever thought she'd hear herself say it. A small sob choked her, "I just can't bear the thought of our child suffering, only to die before birth or very young."

Harry wanted to respond to what she was saying. He could practically hear the accusation in her voice about him not caring. But all rational arguments left his mind when she mentioned ending the pregnancy. The blood drained from Harry's face and he could only stare at her in shock of what she was thinking. It took him several moments to realize he'd even stopped breathing. As soon as Harry had a moment to compose himself he spoke, "Umm…okay. First of all, this _is_ about the baby, Hermione. Not eating will only hurt him. It needs nutrients and vitamins, and only you can give those to him. If you don't eat...it might make the situation worse. And secondly..." He trailed off, having trouble bringing himself to even mention the possibility of terminating the pregnancy. "You're thinking worst case, love. We both need to stay positive. Poppy said stressing yourself out was a bad thing for the baby. You need to stay positive."

"How can I not stress out, Harry?" Hermione pulled away from him and moved completely off the bed to stare at herself in the mirror. Both hands rested on her protruding abdomen and she closed her eyes at the image. "I love this child so much...and we already know something is wrong. No, Dargon's isn't serious, but it can cause a whole bunch of serious complications for me and especially the baby." Pacing just tired her out and so she stood like a statue, her body tensed. "I want to go now. I don't want to wait until ten; I want to find out right now. And if that means sitting in the medical wing for three hours then so be it!" Stalking to the closet she threw on the first set of robes she saw, not even realizing that they were her pre-pregnancy robes. "Come on, don't dawdle!" She needed to know now.

Harry sighed and stood to follow her. He waved his hand over his bathrobe, transfiguring it into a simple black set of robes. He grabbed his wand off the night table on his side of the room and followed Hermione down to the Floo. "Alright, we'll go now. Just calm down. If we show up in an emotional rush Poppy will think that something else happened." He grabbed some Floo powder and tossed it into the fire. Thankfully Poppy had told them that Albus was going to connect the Hospital Wing Floo to their house so that they could see Poppy in the event of an emergency. Well a rampaging pregnant wife counted on Harry's bill, "Hogwarts." He stepped into the green flames and tumbled out into the hospital wing. He managed to grab a bed to keep himself from his usual face to floor technique and turned to make sure Hermione came through ok.

It wasn't long before Hermione realized that the robes she was wearing were NOT the right ones. She rushed to put on another pair and hurried to the floo after Harry. She didn't even look at him as they made their way down the hall to the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey was cleaning down the beds when she looked up to see Hermione and Harry. Immediately she put her arms around Hermione, "Don't worry, love, it'll be fine. Come and lay down on this one here. I'll be right back."

Harry watched as Poppy scurried off to get whatever she needed for this. He noticed what bed she sat Hermione in and had to fight the urge to laugh. He couldn't help but comment on it. "I guess this makes the bed the official Potter family bed, now." He smiled at the memories, some good but most bad, of him waking up in this bed in the Hospital Wing; the times he'd recklessly thrown himself into danger because it would save a life or was the right thing to do. And now it was Hermione putting herself on the line for their baby. It was only fitting that she got to be in the bed.

Hefting herself onto the soft bed, Hermione lay back. She watched as Madame Pomfrey bustled around the medical wing with her wand in hand, getting scores of parchment forms and her book of detection charms. "Alright Hermione, this won't hurt a bit. So try not to worry." She looked over at Harry and gave him a sad look, "I'm going to do every detection charm that we know of. We'll make sure your baby is healthy. I promise."

Harry nodded to what Poppy was saying. It was reassuring to know that his wife and his baby were in the very capable hands of Poppy Pomfrey. Harry knew that there were probably more qualified healers who specialized in pregnancy and babies at St. Mungo's. But truth be told, Harry didn't trust anyone other than Poppy. That was the result of seven years of being under her watchful eye as he took himself to the edge of his limits, only to be brought back by her every time. "I know you will, Poppy. Honestly, you're the only healer I'd trust to care for my wife and son." He gave her a small smile as he reached over to grab Hermione's hand and give it a small squeeze.

Blushing, Poppy nodded, "Thank you, Harry." She could feel Hermione's nervousness though. And she decided not to waste any more time with the charms. For what felt like hours, Poppy performed detection charms. With reassuring words and gestures, she patted Hermione's hand. After a long time, the parchment she had brought over was completely full. "It'll just be a few minutes now, I need to read these results."

Grasping Harry's hand, she looked over at him as Poppy stood up and walked away. "I'm so scared," She whispered. "Please, please...I can't take it." Tears leaked from the sides of her eyes. "Make it go away."

Harry sat down beside her on 'his' bed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her over a bit into his side. "I know you're scared. I am too. No matter what those results are..." He motioned in the direction that Poppy had walked off in, "We'll get through this. Together." He leaned in to give her a brief kiss. When he broke apart, Harry cast his eyes up at the ceiling. He'd never been a religious person. Years of being forced to live with a physically and verbally abusive family had made him question what sort of god(s) would allow one of their children to go through all that. But right now Harry was praying to whoever would listen, to make sure their baby alright. He even promised to go to Muggle church if the baby was going to be fine.

Sniffling, Hermione watched as Madame Pomfrey's face went from serene to frowning. Again the tears began to fall down her cheeks, "What? What is it?" Hermione cried out. Immediately, Poppy was by her side, "Oh Hermione, it'll be alright. Dargon's Dypsia itself is curable, it's a common wizarding birth defect caused by the use of potions during the delicate early weeks of conception but if untreated, it could lead to Merlin's Syndrome, a disorder in which a witch or wizard's powers are volatile, their magical core damaged. Emotional changes cause powerful surges of magic which can destroy things...one in a hundred thousand magical babies were born with it." She looked down sadly at the two of them, "House elves can't tell the distinction between Dargon's and Merlin's...it's such a minute difference." She sighed, "I have some literature I'll give you two, I'm sure you'll want to read it. But fear not, many, many magical babies are born with this and they lead full, healthy lives. Merlin himself had this disorder, that's why they named it after him." She rubbed Hermione's shoulder gently, "Try not to worry."

Harry didn't like the way she was phrasing this. And Hermione crying was only adding to his agitation. She was saying it, without saying it. "So...our son will be born with Merlin's Syndrome?" Well there went those prayers, right out the window. He knew all about Merlin's Syndrome. All Unspeakables took time in the research department to try and create cures and new spells. Harry himself had been tasked at one point last year to try and find a cure for the affliction. "You...you still need to cure the Dargon's though...right? So it won't progress to worse problems?" Hermione wasn't likely to be happy about any of this, in fact he gave her about half a minute before she lost it completely.

"Harry," Poppy said softly, "I'm sorry, but Dargon's Dypsia is a direct cause of Merlin's. Once it reaches this stage, there's nothing we can do." Hermione was already crying and the mediwitch felt terrible. Transfiguring some old newspapers into tissues, she handed them to the young mother. "It'll be fine dear, I promise."

Harry nodded slowly and wrapped his arms around Hermione. At least it wasn't entirely bad. So their son would have trouble controlling his magic. Harry had suffered much the same problem. His accidental magic had even let a giant Brazilian Boa Constrictor loose on his cousin. At least it wasn't something worse. At least their baby would be healthy beyond Merlin's Syndrome. "Thank you, Poppy." Harry leaned his head against Hermione's and whispered to her, "It will be okay, love. It's not so bad. He's healthy. He'll have trouble controlling his magic, but he's fine."

Madame Pomfrey instinctively knew that the two new parents needed some time alone. Hermione was shaking, trying not to convulse with her sobs as she looked over toward Harry, her eyes watering again. Wrapping her arms around him, she let her tears pour out of her, "Thank Merlin! He's going to be fine..." She gripped Harry as tightly as her belly would allow. "We'll just magic-proof all the valuables, make sure he has extra special training. He can overcome this..."

Harry nodded as he held Hermione. "Of course he can. I mean, look at me. I had volatile magical accidents when I was younger. Sure it wasn't as bad as Merlin's Syndrome, but I overcame it. He may never have full mastery over his magic...but he'll still be able to lead a full and healthy life. We'll just need to take extra care that he's happy so he won't lash out in anger." Harry gave Hermione a soft kiss on the lips while one hand dropped to rub over her belly. "I told you it wouldn't be as bad as you worked yourself into thinking."

Laughing bitterly, she shook her head. "I'm still afraid, Harry. There are a lot of accidents that can occur when a child has Merlin's. We'll have to keep a special eye on him always to make sure he doesn't hurt himself or someone else." She took a heavy breath and looked down at her belly, where his hand rubbed gently. "What do you say we head over to the Three Broomsticks for breakfast and read over some of these pamphlets? Baby is hungry..."

Harry chuckled loudly at Hermione's last observation. "Of course he's hungry. Daddy tried to feed him earlier, but mommy wasn't feeling well." Harry stood up and helped Hermione to her feet. "Breakfast sounds good." Now he had to pretend to not know more than she did about this birth defect. His boss would kill him if he revealed his status as an Unspeakable, even if it was only to Hermione. Harry led her out of the Wing, thanking Poppy profusely, and started the long trek to Hogsmeade for some much needed rest and relaxation with his wife.

Hermione laughed as they stepped out onto the ground. It was a beautiful June morning, not too hot yet, a little foggy and grey but the sun shone through every once in a while. Harry's arm was slung around her waist, keeping careful tabs on her and the baby as they went over the rocky terrain toward the Three Broomsticks. What had once been an easy walk, now felt as if she were running a marathon. "Bugger, I am really out of shape," She breathed heavily and then leaned over to give Harry a kiss before teasing him, "I have you to blame for this."

Harry gave a feigned shock, "Such language. I'll not have you corrupting the ears of my unborn son, missy." He tickled her sides a little as a way of getting her back for her harsh language. "Besides, I'll have you know that it takes two to tango. I may have been a direct factor in you ending up in your present 'out of shape' condition...but you seemed more than eager to let me get you that way." He leaned in close to ear to whisper in a husky voice, "And I loved every minute of it. In fact...you just wait until we get back home." His hand dropped briefly to give her bum a soft squeeze to let her know what he was thinking about.

Giggling, she folded her arms, "Our son is going to have Ron as an uncle. Believe me, there is no word I could use that'll corrupt our baby more than he will." She loved Ron but he was clueless at times. Although, since he married Luna, Hermione had heard that he had gotten better. She gave him a sly wink, "Oh, you better make it really spectacular when we get home." She patted her belly and then chuckled again, "You have a lot of atoning to do, sir!"

Harry chuckled at Hermione's logic. Of course Ron would be the worst one to leave alone with their son. His first words would likely be "Bloody Hell" or some other coarse word. Well, Harry supposed Ron would be a better alternative than leaving their son alone with the Twins. He'd never learn to speak and would find ways to use his accidental magic to turn a profit in pranks. No, the three youngest Weasley males would not do for solitary babysitters. Thankfully they had Luna, Ginny, and Molly to turn to for that. Mrs. Weasley would likely jump at the chance to care for another baby. "Oh, I will make it worth your while. If I have my way, you'll be forgetful of your own name until half an hour after I'm done with you."

"I look forward to it," She purred and smiled as they finally reached the door to the Three Broomsticks. "I love you," She whispered and smiled at him. "Now let's feed this little boy before he starts acting up." She laughed again and kissed his cheek. "And believe me, he wants to eat."

Harry sat down opposite Hermione at a window side table. When Madame Rosmerta came over for their drink orders Harry asked for pumpkin juice for both Hermione and himself. He watched as the woman walked of to get their drinks and turned back to Hermione. "When we get home we'll let Dobby and Winky know about the baby. They can start work on putting protective shields around our things so that it'll all be done by the time the little guy makes his first appearance." He gave her a soft smile and reached across the small table for her hand. "I love you."

Madame Rosmerta came over and gushed over them for a few minutes while Harry and Hermione looked over the menus. Honestly, Hermione had never been here for breakfast...she'd had many a butterbeer and a couple of random lunches and dinners, but never breakfast. The restaurant was quiet early in the morning, not many ventured out this early for a good meal (especially not at nine in the morning on a lazy Sunday morning in June). "I'll have the pancake supreme breakfast with a side of bangers...and if you have any vinegar, I'd like that too." She blushed and looked down again. She couldn't help but rub her belly...she was in love with Harry and her child, and she was so immensely glad that her child would not be unable to function. Madame Pomfrey had run every test in the book; they all came up clean except for Merlin's. It was a big relief.

Harry chuckled as Hermione ordered her food. When it was his turn he only; asked for some bangers and a couple of English muffins. He'd nibbled a bit on the tray of food at home and wasn't really all that hungry any more. When Rosmerta walked away Harry turned to Hermione. "You know, I'll bet that when he's born he won't even like vinegar. You're going to burn him out on that stuff." Truthfully Harry wouldn't mind that...he himself didn't like vinegar, even on fish and chips.

"I don't know what it is!" Hermione said with a laugh. "I don't even like vinegar...or at least, I never have before. And now it feels like if I don't eat it, I'll be depriving myself. I think I'd cry if you tried to take it away from me." She shook her head, "Strange. Although, there are worse things I could crave. Like blood lollipops..." Her voice trailed off, "Actually, now that you mention it..." She dissolved into laughter at the look on Harry's face, "I'm just kidding."

Harry had only ever seen one non-Vampire eat a blood pop and like it. But the vices of Albus Dumbledore were not his concern as long as the old man wasn't trying to use Harry for his own ends again. "Disgusting...you just remember, you can have anything to eat you want. But if you do try a blood pop then you're not likely to be kissing me anytime soon." He made a face like he'd tasted something very nasty and was trying to get it out of his mouth. In truth, Harry didn't like seeing blood. All the blood he'd seen during the war had had a bad effect on him. Now at the sight of blood, he got queasy and had flashbacks of the last battle. He was just glad that none of the others had followed him away from the main battle that night to confront Voldemort and his inner circle. It was bad enough Harry had been forced to do things in that fight that he would rather have never thought of doing. He wouldn't be able to live if Hermione knew what he'd done then and it changed her view of him.

One thing about wizarding service was that it was fast. Hermione had her syrup and vinegar sopped pancakes in less than twenty minutes. She took one bite and let out a soft sigh of delight, "Delicious!" She laughed when he talked about not kissing her again, "Oh, I think you'd still kiss me. You'd just make that adorable little disgusted face...I hope our son gets that one. It makes me want to snog you senseless."

Harry chuckled at her thoughts on the face he made. "Well, then I'll have to teach it to him in the hopes that he'll one day be able to woo a woman by making disgusted faces at her." He shook his head as he cut open his English muffin and spread some butter over it. After adding his bangers to the muffin and making an impromptu sandwich, Harry took a bite. "Now that is delicious!"

Hermione chuckled, "Sorry love, your son and I both agree that pancakes and vinegar is better...and besides, I think I'm the only woman on the planet that loves your disgusted face." She took his hand gently across the table and smiled. "But our boy will find a wonderful woman. But not today, not for a long while yet. At least now I know he'll have a future."

Harry adopted a thoughtful look when she suggested that only she liked his disgusted face. "Maybe I should write to Witch Weekly. Send them some pictures of me making different face. It can be a poll, 'Which Harry Potter face is the best?' Then we'll see exactly how many people like the disgusted face." He laughed at the absurdity of his own idea. "Of course he'll have a future. He's a Potter, and his mother is the smartest witch of our age. It'll take a lot more than some trivial birth defect to keep our boy down. I just feel sorry for any aspiring Dark Lords that might think it wise to attack our son. They get him angry, and they may wish they'd taken a job as a florist instead of as a Dark Lord."

Snorting, she gave him a bright smile; one of the only real smiles she'd given him in a few days. "We can call Rita to do the interview. It'll be perfect." She teased and finished off the rest of her pumpkin juice only to find that it was refilled immediately. "Well one thing is for sure, Merlin's only affects strong magical children...he will have very strong magic."

Harry gave Hermione a deadpan look. "Of course he'll be strong. Look at his parents. You and I are arguably the most powerful Witch and Wizard of our age in England, and I'd even venture so far as to suggest all of Europe at the least. Of course he's going to be strong magically. It wouldn't surprise me if he rivaled Dumbledore in terms of power one day." But all that power only went so far if you couldn't control it. However, it was only an obstacle. He was sure they'd find a way to make their son have the easiest life possible. It would just take time and dedication.

"Magically, he has great genetics." Hermione smirked, "But the poor kid is destined to have really unmanageable hair. And I truly hope he gets your green eyes." She knew her son would be handsome, just like his father. And she couldn't wait to see what he would look like. They fell into a comfortable silence, Hermione finishing up her bangers, swirling them in the vinegar and syrup mixture. "While we're here, can we stop at Honeydukes? We're out of chocolate frogs and I feel like eating some licorice whips."

Harry chuckled. "I hope he does have unmanageable hair. I think it adds character. Makes us look more wild and untamed; it gives us a certain...mystique. Not to mention I constantly look like I'm fresh from a Quidditch match!" He chuckled as he finished up his sandwich. "Honeydukes it is. I could go for some taffy wands and sugar quills, myself." Honeydukes was definitely a shop that he wished had a Diagon Alley branch. He loved the products there. Maybe he could have a talk with the owner, Ambrosius Flume, about opening a shop there.

Now that he mentioned it, sugar quills did sound good. Maybe she'd just get a couple of everything (even blood pops, just to tease him). "Your hair is adorable," She reached over and brushed her fingers over a dark strand that was sticking straight up. It felt soft and wonderful under her fingers. "Come on, let's hurry up and pay...I want to get to Honeydukes and then get you home. My body is craving you as an afternoon snack."

Harry quickly paid the bill and left Madame Rosmerta a hefty tip. He led Hermione down the road toward Honeydukes. He held the door open for her and handed her a basket. "Get whatever you want. I'm going to have a chat with Mr. Flume real quick. I've an idea running around my head that I need to tell him about. It could be mutually beneficial." He gave her a quick kiss and walked over to the aging man who ran the wonderful little candy store. Thankfully those baskets, which were most often used by younger kids, were charmed to be feather light. Harry wouldn't need to worry about her carrying too much weight. Besides, the shop wasn't huge; he was only a step away if she needed help.

Hermione didn't need to be told twice. She went about putting everything that sounded remotely appealing into the basket. She made sure to get extra chocolate frogs, since she had been craving them lately. She also got nearly a pound of the treacle fudge that was new to the shop. By the time she made her way up to the front she had nearly fifty galleons worth of sweets. She smiled at Harry as she placed her galleons on the counter and smiled at the young cashier. "Thank you," She said softly.

Harry smiled at Hermione and motioned for her to take her Galleons back. "Our money is no longer good here." He let her sweat for a moment on the idea that she might not get her sweets after all. "Business partners don't have to pay. Mr. and Mrs. Flume will be coming by my office at the Hogsmeade Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to go over a contract purchase of their store name and site. They will still run it, but we're going to expand and open a shop in Diagon Alley." He turned back to Mr. Flume and shook the man's hand. "Welcome, tentatively, to the Potter family. Don't worry; you two will not regret this." As Harry led Hermione out of the store he explained briefly. "I'm doing for them what I did for Fred and George. I'm essentially buying a chunk of the company so that I can make it bigger and better. And since it's my own money doing this, and not Weasley money, they won't have to worry about answering to Fred and George. Combined with what we own in the Weasley's shops and the other companies I've built to support that franchise...this makes us the first true Wizarding Conglomerate."

Hermione bit her lip, "No, let them take the money...I don't want to eat ALL their profit." She laughed and pushed the money back into the young girl's hands. "Besides, my husband's work is important to me. And my pregnant, bloated arse can support you in this way, just as you've been supporting me all along." She smiled and took his hand, handing him the enormous amount of candy she'd bought to shrink and put in his pocket. "You're wonderful; I think it's so great that you're helping out the Flumes. Not to mention this is an excellent business venture!"

Harry chuckled, "Exactly. Can you imagine the business it will generate in London? There hasn't been a sweet shop there for almost three hundred years. And the Weasley's is the closest thing…but then if you have a craving for skiving snack boxes, you must be barmy." He chuckled and shrunk her purchases. "The kids in London will be overjoyed that they can get the same quality sweets during the summer as they can during Hogsmeade weekends. If anything, both shops will generate more business for each other as kids won't have to worry about going for periods of time without sweets in the summer and the younger ones will be overjoyed to get the same sweets in during school when they finally reach third year. Maybe we could even sponsor the Snack Cart on the Hogwarts Express..." Harry trailed off as he mulled the idea over in his head.

"My husband, businessman extraordinaire," Hermione put her arms around him and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "So now that my sweet tooth is all taken care off..." She let her voice trail off as she looked at him. There was no question as to what she wanted (there was also no question as to WHEN she wanted it). "Take me home, Harry..." She whispered to him.

Harry knew that apparition was bad for a pregnant witch. Though their body wasn't actually being squeezed through a small space, the fact that they felt like they were, was enough to trick their mind into thinking they were, and that could cause distress for the baby. The way she said to take her home and the look she gave him made Harry almost try it anyway. Instead he grabbed her hand and led her toward the Three Broomsticks to use their Floo. It was quite possibly the quickest anyone had ever made the walk, not quite a run because then Hermione would be exhausted, but quick enough that he didn't feel like he was wasting valuable time. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and tossed it in the fireplace, "Potter Manor!" Stepping through he barely had time to register that he didn't even stumble coming out of the other side.

Hermione was out of breath by the time she stepped into the bedroom...but this time, it had nothing to do with being out of shape. She just wanted him so badly that she panted with her need. Dropping robes onto the floor, she immediately wrapped her arms around him as tight as she could. As she kissed his face and neck, she let out soft moans, "I want you so much. You are the most wonderful husband and father that ever lived." She closed her eyes as she continued to kiss him, "I don't deserve you."

Harry kissed her back just as fervently as she kissing him. His hands came to rest on her now naked hips. In a flash Harry let the magic go on his robes, allowing them to transfigure back into a bathrobe. As soon as the change was complete he tossed the bathrobe to the side and grinned at her. "I wouldn't say that just yet. We haven't had the baby yet so you don't know how I'll be around him. Remember, a lot of how most parents are is determined by their own experiences being raised as a child...and we both know I didn't exactly the best example of quality parenting and care." He shook the bad thoughts from his mind and sealed his lips to hers. "I'm the one who doesn't deserve you."

Pulling back for a moment, Hermione looked deep into Harry's eyes. "I don't believe that...you've been so wonderful so far. You love this little boy, I can feel it." She chuckled, "You might not always show it in the way that I want, but I know you care. You wouldn't have stuck by us if you didn't." Hermione still had a nagging little voice in the back of her head that told her Harry was only staying with her for their son's sake. But he was slowly beginning to change her mind. Nibbling gently at the bottom of his lip, she smiled, "Well if you don't deserve me, then who does? You're the best wizard on the face of the earth." She rubbed her body against him gently, "And I love you."

Harry smiled and teased her tongue with his own. "No one deserves you. You're too good, and until I had my way with you...whenever that first time was, you were too pure." His hands slowly moved down from her hips to gently squeeze her bum. He pulled her hips closer to his so that she would be able to feel, without a doubt, just how much he wanted her. "I'm just damned lucky I have you. For once fate decided to smile on me instead of treating me like a kid with a magnifying glass and I was the ant."

Hissing with pleasure as he rubbed his firm erection up against the most sensitive part of her, she pressed her nails into his back. "Oh, I like that you've tainted me," She whispered, "In fact, if you don't do it again soon, I might hex you. And that wouldn't be good for the baby." She would've laughed but she felt that even the tiniest breath would cause her to explode against his sexual onslaught. "Please, Harry, I can't take it anymore." She groaned, pushing him firmly back against the bed. "It's also your fault that my hormones are batty...especially my sex drive!"

Harry started to laugh as she got annoyed with his teasing. When she pushed him back, Harry tripped and landed on his back on the bed. She was being very forward today, he liked it. "Well, you know it takes two to tango. The way you told me that you wanted me to take you home...the way you looked at me in Hogsmeade when you said it. You're damned lucky I didn't rip those robes off you in the middle of the street and have at you right there in the middle of the roadway." The look in his eyes said that he damn well would have done it if the nearest public access Floo had been any farther away than it had been. "So, you got me on the bed, woman...what do you plan to do with me now?"

"That wouldn't have been so bad," She whispered breathlessly as she kissed down his chest and the back up to his mouth. "In our case, it takes three to tango." She chuckled and threw her leg over him. She was dripping wet, burning for him...only for him. "Now we dance," She whispered, "You and all your tango metaphors. This is one dance I know you're going to enjoy." Many nights of sex with her on top had gotten her used to this; she easily sheathed herself over him and slowly began to rock. But today she didn't keep steady pace; she teased him, easing up on top of him and then slowly pulling away so he slid out of her. Not only was it highly erotic to her, she could already see the pleasure on Harry's face.

Harry let out a hiss of pleasure at the feeling of her engulfing him. His eyes closed when she began to rock back and forth, but she had a surprise for him. Since they had woken up in Rome sex had been a mostly straight forward event, with only a few deviations from the routine every now and then. He wasn't complaining about those times by any means of the word, but this was different. The way she teased, bringing him close to the edge and then letting come back down only to bring him to the edge again, without ever letting him go over it...it was almost criminal. She must have been studying a book because he had no idea where she learned to do this to him.

It felt...wonderful. Hermione was no longer a virgin (in more ways than one) and she didn't want Harry to think that sex was some sort of mundane act that she only performed for her own pleasure. And so she did what she had always done...she read a book. In this particular book, it detailed sexual positions specifically for pregnant women, and techniques to try and work into her regular routine. It seemed that Hermione's scholarly nature was working to both of their benefits. But her need was great and time was running out...her body was already on the brink of a powerful orgasm that not even the most skilled lover could prolong. But she wanted to wait for him...today, Harry would be the first to lose control. Even if it killed her.

Harry's hands rested gently on her thighs as she worked him. He sat up slightly, taking her right breast in his mouth and gently working his tongue over the nipple. He knew that her breasts were still a bit sore from growing bigger for the pregnancy, but he hoped he was gentle enough. He could feel the edge fast approaching yet again, but this time he wasn't slowing down despite what she did to his body. He'd held back long enough and this time he barreled over the edge and into oblivion. His fingers tightened slightly on her thighs as he spilled himself inside of her. He could, however, tell that she wasn't done yet. For once he'd been the first to orgasm, and it was a good thing she was on top or he'd never have had the energy to finish her off.

The tightening grew to emergency status as he suckled her breasts, tenderly laving his tongue over the tender buds. Since she had gotten pregnant, her breasts had been so sore...now they were just highly sensitive. She felt herself hurtling over the edge when he burst inside her, the warmth of his seed pulsing through her. Letting out a cry half of triumph, half of extreme pleasure, she tightened around him. It took a while and in those moments she felt nothing but his breathing and hers, and the tiny heartbeat of the child within her. After several seconds she collapsed on top of him, holding him in her arms. "I love you," she whispered breathily.

Harry laid back on the bed, holding his wife in his arms as she collapsed on him. He would normally love to be in this position with her, but the baby was between them and that might not be a good thing. Harry gently lifted his hips, moaning a bit at the fact that he was still inside her and overly sensitized by their latest activity. He pushed her onto her side beside him, and slowly pulled out of her. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck, dropping soft kisses to her tender skin. "I love you, too. Merlin, woman...the things you do to me. It's almost criminal." He smiled at her and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.

Hermione knew that lying on her belly wasn't a good idea. She almost got up to move when Harry's arms came up to help her off him, tenderly as if she were a babe. She hissed at the feeling of him being slowly slid out of her. She nearly came again right there...but as his arms came around her, holding her, she relaxed and laid her head against his chest. "Then send me to Azkaban...I'd willingly serve time if it meant being able to do this to you." She kissed his cheek lovingly, "And is it just me or do we seem to get better every time?"

Harry chucked and shook his head. "No thanks. I'd rather keep you here all to myself. If I sent you to Azkaban I'd only get to have my way with you during conjugal visits...if they even have those there." He doubted they did. Wizards, after all, rarely did things in ways similar to how Muggles did them. Besides, the prison housed some of the worst criminals ever, like the Lestranges. He couldn't imagine the guards taking enough pity on Bellatrix to let her have some fun with someone; it'd be too easy for them to slip her something she could use to stage a break out. "Yeah, I think we are getting better. Maybe we did stuff like this when we were 'asleep' so to speak, and we only had to let our bodies remember how it's done." Muscle memory was a beautiful, wonderful thing.

Hermione thought about it, "No, I don't think it was like this when we were in that state. I mean, we'd be a lot clumsier than this and chances are that, as a virgin, I was this limber or wanton." She chuckled and then smiled. "You know what I'm thinking?" She gave him a sly smile, "I'm thinking that after all this work we've done we need some sugar to help us get back to ourselves." She giggled again, "That and your son is craving licorice whips."

Harry chuckled and got out of bed. He barely remembered to put his bathrobe back on before apparating down to the kitchen to get the candies that one of the elves had apparently taken in the midst of Harry and Hermione's love making. He never understood how Dobby and Winky knew that they had something to clean up when they weren't even in the room...but they did. Must have been part of Dobby's new abilities as a bonded elf. He returned moments later with one thing each of all the candies Hermione had picked up at Honeydukes. "Just in case you decide that your son is craving something else as well." Harry set it all down on the bed beside Hermione and then climbed back in with her. Harry watched as Hermione tore into the licorice whips and wands like a starved lion on a wounded gazelle. He knew in that moment that everything would be alright for them and the baby. All they had to do was find out who had screwed with their lives, and then they could have a happily ever after. One that Harry felt they both deserved, and was long overdue.


	10. Chapter 10

**Here's a chapter we've all been waiting for! The wait is finally over...who did this to Harry and Hermione!? This is a monumentally important chapterin terms of content! Please let us know what you're thinking! Did you guess correctly as to who it was? What should Harry do about the current situation?**

**Have a wonderful weekend,**

**Marina & James**

* * *

July brought in the hottest weather that Britain had seen in over two decades. And it was just Hermione's Merlin-damned luck that she got the pleasure of being pregnant in it. There was absolutely no reason that she would venture out of the house; Madame Pomfrey had all but forbidden it. With heat like this, and Hermione being five months pregnant, the combination could be deadly.

And so, she'd had a lot of time to start piecing together the mystery that was her marriage to Harry. She'd started again with the list of suspects: Ron Weasley (Possible), Albus Dumbledore (Double-Starred as the prime suspect), Severus Snape (Accomplice?), Ginny Weasley (Could be), Rita Skeeter (Wouldn't put anything past that witch), Colin Creevey (Maybe...), Molly and Arthur Weasley (Not Likely), Other Miscellaneous Weasley(s) (No motive...but possible), Amelia Bones (Suspect/Witness).

Then, she'd also made a list of the things that they knew. Like, for example, Hermione (and probably Harry) had been dosed with the Lucidem Fertility Potion. Not to mention that she'd also taken one of the seven potions that could cause Dargon's/Merlin's Syndrome: Dreamless Sleep Draught, Pain Potion, Hangover Cure, Rooter's Cure, Pepperup Potion, Swelling Swill and/or Amour Vitae (illegal in England). Not to mention, there were other side effects that could've been caused by another potion altogether; the agent that caused memory loss seemed to be the key.

Harry had spent the morning in study going over the financial aspect of the new shop in Diagon Alley. They'd opened their doors last week and already profits were at an all-time high. Which was wonderful, of course...except that meant Harry was extremely busy. Hermione had only caught glimpses of him during the day over the last couple of weeks, and with her belly ever-larger, they'd stopped having sex altogether. But today, she made a point to waddle into the study to see him, "Harry, have you got a minute?"

Harry was rubbing his temples to keep the migraine at bay. Ever since the Diagon Alley branch of Honeydukes had opened up, he'd been buried under financial reports and employment papers. Since Mr. and Mrs. Flume were in Hogsmeade, Harry had been saddled with the task of hiring staff for the new store. He'd also been forced to pop over at various times of the day to ensure things were running smoothly as they had no general manager yet. But that would change soon. Mr. and Mrs. Flume had met with a wizard who they felt was up to the task. In a couple days, Harry would interview the man and, provided he felt this guy was trustworthy enough to place the store in his hands, they'd have a general manager by week's end. If it weren't for the fact that Poppy would skin him alive for keeping her on her feet for so long, Harry would have offered the job to Hermione. But even then, she was so in love with her work at Ars Alchima that he highly doubted she would even consider the job.

When Hermione came into the room and called his name, Harry looked up and smiled at her. He stood up and walked over to give her a soft kiss on the lips. "Hello, love." He motioned her into the study and to a chair. "Of course you can have a minute of my time." Crap! He'd been so focused on work he'd been neglecting his wife. "I'm sorry I've been so busy lately. I'll make it up to you." He gave her another soft kiss and took her hand in his. "So, what did you want?"

It was hard not to let his neglect get to her...but she knew that this business venture was important to him. Besides, it wouldn't be long before the shop ran itself, much like the Honeydukes in Hogsmeade did. She smiled softly when he kissed her gently on the lips and ushered her to a chair. "I was just going over some things about this whole mystery. I only have about four months left until I deliver...and I'm determined, now more than ever, to find out who is behind this." She handed the paper she'd been working on, "I was wondering if you had anything to add, suspects or potential potions. I've come to the conclusion that the person or persons who did this did not have a very good grasp of potions...for they added several together that, in high doses, could quite possibly have killed us. I was going to cross Snape off...but he would've known to administer trace doses."

Harry took the paper and moved around to sit at his desk. He set in top of the mess of papers and started to scan the sheet with his eyes. "I don't see any suspects you missed." He nodded as he flipped through the list of potions. "You didn't include the temporary love potions from the Weasley's shop. It would be only ironic if goods from my own store were used against me. This of course, given how fate deals its cards to me, means that it was likely a Weasley product." He chuckled at his small joke. "Other than that...you may want to consider some spells too. Remember Snape yelling at me in sixth year for casting a spell on Ron after testing a potion on him? He lectured me for damn near all of the class and docked us a hundred house points because some spells will have negative—and possibly fatal—effects when used on someone under the influence of certain potions. Just another road to look into."

Shaking her head, Hermione pursed her lips, "There are no studies that show the Weasley's temporary love potions cause Dargon's. Only the seven I listed are tried and tested. It's illogical that the minute traces of a commonly accepted lust potion, also used in their daydream pranks, would've had this effect on us." She sighed and thought about it, "I've really thought about this. Spells have other effects, effects that would've harmed the baby in other ways than Merlin's. Remember what Madame Pomfrey told us? Any magic performed on me in the first eight to twelve would have hazardous consequences for the baby. Including, but not limited to, physical and mental deficiencies that would've been revealed in any tests Madame Pomfrey ran." Hermione rubbed her belly thoughtfully, "The only logical conclusion is a mixture of potions. Especially since spells would've wiped our memory and our knowledge of any memory out...that it's just a blur tells me that it's potions we're dealing with. I've seen only one other case like this, when I was at Hendragon's Potions Academy..."

Harry nodded at her words. He was no where near being a potions master; in fact it was still one of his worst subjects. But Hermione was a potions mistress, one of the youngest in the last three hundred years. Not to mention she had a thing for knowing stuff he wouldn't have ever thought of testing out. If she said it was so, then it likely was. Except for the fact that he'd been studying Merlin's Syndrome as an Unspeakable at one point…well, the lust charm at least. "You know, the Unspeakables presented a report to the Wizengamot a few months before all this happened, trying to prepare for the usual surge of love potion dosing during the Valentine's Day season. They found that if someone was under the influence a lust or love potion, and has the lust charm cast on them that it didn't work right. Instead of becoming a spell that can be removed with a simple Finite Incantem, it strengthens the doses of lust or love potion instead. It reacted with a lot of people as if they'd been given multiple doses of lust or love potion. Too dangerous to test on a pregnant witch to see if it could cause Dargon's or Merlin's or any other birth complication like that...but it's still a possibility."

"I've read those reports, Harry. Every single one of them...but in the end, it comes down to the Amour Vitae causing Dargon's and Merlin's in three out of four cases when love potions are involved in a child being born with Merlin's. I know it is illegal...but that doesn't stop the very motivated." She looked into his green eyes. "Right now, I think the potion was either a combination of the Amour Vitae with some other chemical component, perhaps the Lucidem Fertility potion..." She looked down again, "But I'm finding as I'm going through these formulae, is that the Lucidem Fertility potion deviates from the Amour Vitae by only one simple ingredient...and it's the main emulsifying agent in chocolate."

Harry shook his head and leaned back in the chair. "So what you're saying is," he hated the idea of even entertaining the thought, "someone was trying to dose us with one of those, but screwed up and likely made the wrong one?" That changed the ballgame a little. They had been operating under the idea that the person who did this had meant for it to happen…that it was some sinister plot. Could it be that they were merely the victims of someone's tasteless joke gone horribly wrong? "So we're likely dealing with someone who isn't all that bright in potions. That limits the field a bit. But that's still a hefty chunk of people from just about any year of Hogwarts that might still be alive."

Nodding her assent, she smiled, "That's exactly what I thought. Let's say, for example, that someone got a hold of the Amour Vitae and wanted to find out how long it would last if someone ingested only one tenth of the dose, for example. So if they were testing it out on unwilling participants, or at least unknowing people, they might have tried administering the potion without the people becoming suspicious...that would be the chocolate. So, if they put the Amour Vitae potion into chocolate and also wanted to keep a controlled experiment, they might have even added another potion to the chocolate...I'm thinking Dreamless Sleep Draught. But they created a potions monster, a formula that would not only cause it's ingestors to act as if they would under any kind of lust potion, but also to become pregnant immediately because the chocolate would mimic the properties of the Lucidem Fertility Potion. But then they'd have this Dreamless Sleep Draught working to tinker with their consciousness...and if the ingestors ate, say, an entire box of chocolate coated with this mixture...it could potentially wipe out their memory and impair their faculties for at least a few weeks, if not longer."

As soon as she said that it could have been coated chocolate Harry jumped to his feet. He looked down at the paper on his desk and then back up to Hermione. "The _twins_….they never finished NEWT year. They weren't great at potions, and they would never think to check for side effects like that." His face started to twist in anger and he could feel the magic brimming just below the surface, trying to break free and shatter something to alleviate his anger, "The chocolate that I got for us to eat on Valentine's Day! I was so busy that I asked Molly to pick some up for me. She gave it to the twins to give to me! I'd bet our entire fortune that they thought they could give us the chocolate and test out a new product all in one go." He turned toward the door and hollered, "DOBBY!" The elf popped into the room looking scared at having his master so obviously angry. "Dobby, I need you to find the box of chocolate that I got for Valentine's Day. We need it." He just hoped that the box hadn't been thrown out yet.

Hermione was startled by his outburst. But as he spoke of the twins, the color drained from her face. "Y-you think Fred and George did this to us?" How could that possibly be? Oh...so that's how it could be; the twins had done what they always did, manipulated a situation for their own purpose. Only this time the consequences had been serious...very, very serious. "I'll kill them!" She yelled, standing up out of her chair as fast as her pregnant self could. "Why those two rat bastards! Dear Merlin if they did this to us...I don't know what I'm going to do." She rested her hands on her belly as she began to pace slowly and deliberately. "Harry, what are we going to do?"

Dobby popped out of the room. Harry turned back to Hermione and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "They won't like my wrath if they are behind this. To say the least, they are going to lose some major support for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." He would withdraw all his support from them; money, his name as a backer...everything. Dobby popped back in a moment later and held out a slightly tattered box with one single piece of half eaten chocolate left in it. "Is that enough for you to test, Hermione?"

"I only need a crumb...this will be more than enough." She grabbed the box and hurried down the hall to where she had created a makeshift potions lab. At least she had some ingredients and a cauldron. Immediately she took a knife and sliced the chocolate in half, spelling one half to remain untouched (just in case her readings were inaccurate the first time). The second half she placed on the cutting board and began to tap with her wand, the pieces of chocolate glowing all sorts of colors ranging from brilliant blue to yellow and sometimes even white. When she finished, Hermione sat down with a huff on a potions stool. "It's just as I thought...the Amour Vitae was spooned on top of the chocolates. It seeped into the holes in the bottom of the chocolate and, in those places, became the Lucidem Fertility Potion. And then, inside, it looks like a tiny bit of Dreamless Sleep Draught was injected inside using a syringe of some kind...an instrument that would've been kept on hand at the twins' shop to make things like Canary Creams." Tears slipped from her eyes as she looked down. "It was them, Harry...it was Fred and George."

Harry followed Hermione to her makeshift lab. He watched as things happened that he only barely understood. As soon as she spoke the awful truth, Harry felt like killing someone. He couldn't believe the twins would take this kind of liberty with their lives. "That solves that part. But, I highly doubt the twins are resourceful enough to send us off to Rome and keep us unaware for three months. There has to be another player in this game." Harry slipped his arms around Hermione and gave her a brief hug. "I think we should invite those two over and corner them. We'll set up anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards so they can't escape without explaining themselves."

Closing her eyes, she took deep breaths, her hands resting on her belly. It was because of Fred and George that her baby had Merlin's Syndrome...it was because of Fred and George that she even had a baby. "No, I agree that they couldn't have thought of this all on their own. And I think a man by the name of Albus Dumbledore helped them...there's no other logical explanation as to why he paid for our hotel room for three months." She let out a soft sob, "We have to do it...we have to confront them...for our own peace of mind and for our son."

Harry nodded. "He was always too willing to let them get away with their pranks. He never punished them in school, probably covered for them a few times. This is no different." He wanted to floo over to Hogwarts right that minute and tear the old man to shreds. "We'll confront the twins separately from Dumbledore, just in case. I don't want them to think they have to defend themselves and have us outnumbered like that." He walked over to his desk and scribbled a note. With a sharp whistle he called Hedwig to him and handed her the letter. "I got something for you to take to the twins, girl."

Hermione had just been about to tell Harry that they ought to let it sit for a while, to let the news digest, when the floo roared red. Why...the floo only turned that color when the ministry called. Hedwig had already taken the letter Harry wrote and was flying as quickly as she could toward the shop. Amelia Bones' head popped through the floo and she gave both of them a tentative smile, "Harry and Hermione Potter, you will now be presented to the Ministry's Magic Law Enforcement Squadron for testing...until substantive proof arises that you are the true Harry and Hermione Potter, you are hereby charged with fraud."

Harry spluttered, "F-fraud?" If they needed proof that they were really Harry and Hermione, then they obviously thought they were imposters. "By all means, come on over. But if we're going to be so formal about this, Madame Bones, then its Lord and Lady Potter." His eyes narrowed. He hated being accused of lying. Turning to Hermione he frowned. "We'll have to explain it to them. They likely think we aren't us because they realize our questions shed light on the fact we weren't acting like us."

Immediately, two wizards and a witch stepped through the fireplace. "I need both of your wands," She said firmly, although the tone of her voice revealed that she wanted nothing more than to do this gently and methodically. Hermione immediately surrendered her wand and the girl handed it to the two gentlemen to inspect. After several minutes, she walked back over to her, "Mrs. Potter, we apologize for our mistake." She walked over to Harry and held out her hand for his wand, "Mr. Potter, please surrender your wand immediately."

Harry watched the squad show up in a manner that would have made it very easy for him to kill them all if he'd wanted to. "You must be new recruits. Word of advice, never show up through an unknown Floo to a potentially hostile area with your wands lowered. It makes you an easy target." When she asked for his wand, Harry's grip tightened on it. Not even Voldemort had ever been able to forcefully remove the wand from Harry's hand, and this woman wanted him to hand it over? She was very lucky they were technically on the same side. "Don't break it." He reluctantly handed over his wand for inspection.

The young lady blushed profusely as she took his wand. She muttered a curt, "Thank you," before walking back over to the two gentlemen again. It was several minutes before anyone said anything, but she was extra careful to hand it back to him with the tip pointed toward her. "Mister Potter, we apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused. Both parties represented here are who they say they are." Amelia was frowning now, "I was worried when the two of you came to my office asking about your wedding...it's highly unusual you know. And I got the impression that you didn't know what went on there. I had to be certain...I'm sure you understand."

Hermione nodded, "We understand completely." She said and offered Amelia a chair. "The thing is...we didn't remember. After the wedding… actually, before the wedding, Harry and I were given several potions. We were drugged by what we now believe was a simple prank gone horribly wrong. A couple of weeks ago, Harry and I woke up in Rome with no knowledge as to where we were, how we got there, or how I became pregnant." Her brown eyes filled with worry as she looked over at Harry again. "And so we had to find some way to find out information without tipping anyone off. We thought, at first, that this blank time in our memories was an act of malice. Now, as we've come to find out, it wasn't..." The floo was bursting to life again. And Hermione had three guesses as to who it was.

Fred and George Weasley stepped through the Floo to Potter Manor in high spirits. Those spirits quickly dimmed as soon as they saw the sight before them. "Harry?" "Hermione?" They said at the same time, for once in their lives out of synch. They looked between the Potter and the Law Enforcement squad. "What's going on?"

Harry shot the twins a dirty look. "Hermione's telling the truth. We were drugged this whole time. And it was Fred and George. I'd asked Molly to get me a box of chocolates for Valentine's Day so I could share them with Hermione." The color began to drain from the twins' faces. "The twins gave it to me and we now believe they dosed it with the Amour Vitae potion. The problem is the potion they used is similar to a fertility potion, with only an emulsifying agent that was the same as that in chocolate being the difference. So, in the areas of the candy where they chocolate fused with the potion, we were accidentally given the Lucidem fertility potion, and in the others it was a lust potion for both of us. They likely didn't realize their mistake until it was too late."

Harry was really brutalizing the story and Hermione, for about a half a second, felt bad for the twins. That was, of course, until she felt a faint kick inside of her. Gasping, she pressed her hand to her belly, torn between love, shock, and anger. "Because of these two, my baby has Merlin's Syndrome." She looked at Amelia who was frowning markedly. "We assume that we ingested these laced chocolates...the entire box, I might add, because they must all have been laced with it. We not only were under the effects of Amour Vitae, but the Lucidem Fertility Potion, with trace amounts of the Dreamless Sleep Draught." Hermione looked down at her belly and let out a soft sob, "We're bloody lucky to even be alive."

Harry turned to spot the twins looking at the floor, guilt evident on their blushing faces. "I'd also like to note that Albus Dumbledore was in on it. We found out he paid for the entire stay in Rome. In school he had a knack for letting the twins off the hook when they pranked people. This was likely the same thing to him, covering for the foolish antics of two overgrown kids who have never fully suffered the consequences of their actions." Turning to face the twins again Harry spat out, "I'm done with you two. I've gone out of my way to make sure your business didn't fail, gave you thousands of my own galleons to get started and stay afloat...and this is how you repay me? By drugging me and Hermione? You're damned lucky that we love each other and actually like being married. If not, I'd have killed you two on the spot, Aurors or not. As it is...I'm no longer your partner. Keep the bloody store and the fucking money. Just stay away from me and my wife!"

Amelia frowned, "Misters Weasley, you are under arrest for possession of illegal potions, assault, treason for the battery of international war heroes and attempted murder." Hermione gasped again, stepping forward...she was angry, yes...but she knew the punishment for those crimes was death. "Amelia, please...let us handle this ourselves. We won't be pressing charges. Not today..."

"I agree with Hermione. We can't stop you for arresting them for possession of potions, that's Ministry business. But we don't want to press charges against them for the personal crimes. It was a prank and an honest mistake gone horribly wrong." Harry put an arm around his wife and gave her a comforting squeeze.

Amelia nodded and did a quick incarcerous on the twins, in case they got any ideas. "The punishment for possession of illegal potions is a fine of two hundred thousand galleons or six months incarceration in Azkaban. All debts are henceforth to be paid within one year or an additional fine of a thousand galleons and two months jail time will result. These are the laws handed down by the Wizengamot..." She led the twins toward the floo. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter...Harry, Hermione, we're very sorry about this. And it will be taken care of immediately."

Harry nodded and bid them all goodbye. Once they were alone Harry turned to Hermione and sighed. "Well that was horrifyingly uncomfortable. They deserved it...but damn. I feel horrible for bringing that upon our friends...former friends." Harry sat back down in his chair and held his arms open for Hermione to sit on his lap. He wanted to hold her right now, and he'd bet money she needed to be held. "They're just lucky we didn't tell Molly. She'd kill them, find a way to resurrect them, have them de-gnome the garden for five days straight, and then kill them again."

Rushing into his arms, she buried her face in his chest. "I feel terrible, too...but, there was no other way. We could've been in big trouble with the ministry for lying if they ever found out. And the twins deserve to pay for their crimes...Amelia was lenient. She could've pressed those charges without our consent. I mean, we would refuse to testify, but she could've easily tacked serious crimes onto their laundry list of misdeeds." Sniffling softly, she gave him a watery smile as she grasped his hand, "Although, there is good news." She pressed her hand to her belly where, for the first time, gentle kicks within her could be clearly felt. "That's our son..."

Harry's eyes widened at the feeling of his son's kicks. "He's kicking?" He was in awe at the feeling. That was his son in there giving those kicks worthy of a muggle footballer. "I love you." Harry gave Hermione a passionate kiss, his hand still on her stomach. He felt the kicks increase a little and Harry had to break away and laugh. "He seems rather happy that mommy and daddy are having a moment." Harry shook his head sadly and sighed. "Now we just have to deal with Albus. I doubt the Ministry can pin anything on him unless they consider his paying a form of accessory."

"They'll never be able to pin anything on Dumbledore...the twins won't finger him, and really all he did was pay for our honeymoon suite. It's not incriminating enough." She leaned over and kissed him as he felt their child kicking within her womb. She laughed when the child began to kick harder, "He's excited to see daddy is all." She whispered and then nibbled on his ear gently, "I'm excited to see daddy too."

Harry smiled at Hermione but frowned as she nibbled his ear. He was too angry to be getting excited. He gently pulled his head away from her lips. "I'm sorry love. I'm too worked up right now about all this." He wasn't in the mood, she likely was. And she was pregnant with raging hormones. This wouldn't likely end well. He just hoped she wouldn't get too upset.

Hermione groaned; she was already painfully aroused. "Please, Harry? I need you..." She leaned down and whispered in his ear, "I'd do it myself but my belly gets in the way." She hoped the image she planted of her doing it herself would be enough to get him up and running. She was already feeling heat spreading through her loins, "I love you...come to bed, Harry."

Harry nodded and got up. He wasn't in the mood, but she needed him. He couldn't abandon her; not when he'd pretty much killed her chances of finding sexual solace anywhere else. He led her to the bed and started to undress her. His hands roamed over her body and he felt himself getting aroused despite his mood. He quickly divested of his own robes and pushed her gently back on the bed, trailing kisses along her neck. "I love you." Once she was on her back, Harry positioned himself at her entrance and slowly slid into her. He always did enjoy the feeling of her wrapped around him like this.

It was hard with her belly pushed out so far in front of her like this. She felt enormous...and yet Harry didn't say anything. How did he even manage to get close to her is what she wanted to know. She couldn't quite see when she looked down. The baby was kicking inside her now, a flurry of activity causing her belly to pulse with the movement for a brief moment. Hermione chucked and covered the spot for a moment. "Someone else wants some attention it seems."

Harry was trying, he really was. But between his sour mood and the baby kicking he couldn't bring himself to finish. Harry slid out of her with a sigh. "I'm sorry…I can't. He's kicking too much and I'm not feeling it." He shook his head and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you later. I promise."

It stung...and not just a little bit. She didn't wait; she pulled out of his grasp. "Don't patronize me," She huffed and pulled her robes back around her body. "I'm too big for you, you can just say it. No, actually, I don't want to hear it." She stormed out of the room, "You're a bastard!" Hormones flared and that was all there was to it...she was hurt, and she didn't want it to show.

Harry watched her leave the room and jumped to his feet. He wanted to follow after her and tell her it was just the hormones getting to her again, but he didn't want to upset her further. He cursed and punched the wall so hard he felt his knuckles pop in a none-too-pleasant way. "FUCK!" Harry stormed after her then, moving at a jog to catch up with her, "Hermione! Wait! You know damn well it has nothing to do with your size. If it ever did then I would have stopped making love to you after we woke up. I don't care about your size. I'm just not in the mood, and he's kicking and that only makes it more awkward...I'm sorry."

Whirling around, she put her hands on her hips. "Oh no, so the fact that you haven't touched me unless I initiated it has nothing to do with my being fat?" She snarled, "You're too good a guy to tell me that I'm ugly, aren't you? You probably just feel sorry for me." She shook her head, "Use whatever excuse you want. I won't ask you for sex again..."

Harry gaped at her in shock. Where was all this coming from? "Don't give me that! You told me before Amelia and the others showed up that you understood. I've been busy with work trying to get the new Honeydukes up and running." He wasn't going to let her make this out to be some folly of his. It wasn't his fault she had a near-limitless libido. "I adore making love to you, Hermione. I'm just not feeling up to it right now and I'd rather not do it than give you a bad impression of me in the sack."

Shaking her head, she folded her arms, "Oh yes, and just as soon as I put on another couple pounds and I had to buy another set of new robes you suddenly get too _busy_. Yes, I understand perfectly." She wouldn't lie and say it didn't cross her mind...because it's all she had been thinking about. "I rode it off as stress over the shop and I had my own issues finding out who did this to us. But now that it's all over, I guess I missed one key variable in my hypothesis...that you're a wanker." She sniffled and then turned around again. "Since I skipped lunch, working on finding the culprits of our memory lapse, I'm hungry...don't bother following me. It probably sickens you to watch the fat woman eat." And with that, she stormed away.

Harry gritted his teeth in anger. Merlin damned hormones! They had just made the discovery of their lives in solving this mystery, and she had to ruin because her pride was hurt. And she blamed it on him! He yelled in anger and a vase on a table in the hall shattered. Oh well, Dobby could fix it later. Harry turned around and stormed back to their room, slamming the door as he went. He flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Why did she have to get so emotional?

Tears ran down her face as Hermione collapsed into a chair in the kitchen. Dobby and Winky were both out collecting foodstuffs for the upcoming weeks (what Hermione called a house elf date) and she was all alone. When she looked up again a large, official looking owl dropped a parchment in her lap. Hermione offered the owl a treat but, as he was directed, refused. As he flew away Hermione opened up the owl and let out a sob as she read aloud, "Due to Mister Harry Potter and Miss Hermione Granger's impaired mental state at the time of their union...the dissolution of their marriage is henceforth enacted by the Office of Magical Marriages..." Letting out a cry, Hermione scribbled a quick note onto the paper, grabbed her wand and headed for the floo. She wasn't married, she wasn't welcome...she may as well just go. And without another word, she did.

Harry decided that laying around wasn't helping the problem at all. He needed to talk this over with Hermione like the rational adults that they were, not yell and argue like an overly dramatic school yard couple. He got up out of bed and put on his bathrobe. Now he just needed to find Hermione, hopefully she was still in the kitchen and he wouldn't have to search for her in the vast manor. That could take a couple hours to accomplish. He entered the kitchen and looked around...no Hermione, "'Mione, love? Where are you? Let's talk this over..." He trailed off at the end as he spotted the parchment on the table.

He sat down to read the paper and felt his legs go weak. Harry was lucky that Hermione had left her chair pushed out and he could sit in, otherwise his head would have had a rather unpleasant meeting with the floor. He felt bile rising in his throat at the thought that Hermione had read this and left. That had to have been the case. She thought he didn't want her anymore, they were no longer married, and so she'd left. Harry called up every Occlumency lesson he'd ever had in his life to master his emotions enough to not cry or scream and break things. She'd left him because of all this, and the twins had ruined it all. Harry's life, the only part that mattered to him, had walked out the door without another word. Long into the late hours of the night Harry sat there staring at the parchment in his hands.

His life was over.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for the lovely reviews everyone! We're coming very, very close to the end of Mystery of Marriage! We can't thank you enough for your readership. Please keep reading and reviewing up until the end! This chapter in particular is something we've all been waiting for!**

**Have a great weekend,**

**Marina & James**

* * *

Ginny Weasley was not having a pleasant two weeks. Ever since that nasty business with the Twins mucking everything up for the Potters, Ginny had been running errands for Hermione, who was currently staying at Professor McGonagall's flat. Hermione was helping her out while the older witch was preparing for the next term at Hogwarts. The system of Ginny doing things for Hermione was working wonders for keeping the pregnant witch off of Harry's radar and hidden from the wizarding world. But on the down side, it was ruining Harry's life as he shut out everything and everyone else in order to focus on finding Hermione and his baby.

Ginny stopped on the doorstep to the flat and kicked on the bottom of the door to signal to Hermione to let her in. "Come on, 'Mione...this bag is extremely heavy!" Stupid new maternity robes, the whole bag of a new wardrobe because of an ever expanding waistline was very heavy. And then Ginny wanted to kick herself. Was she a witch or not? Why hadn't she shrunk and feather-light charmed the bag to carry in her pocket? Too late now, but she really needed to remember these things in the future.

The past two weeks had been brutal for Hermione. Not only had she lost three pounds the first week (which scared McGonagall and Ginny to death) but she'd also been miserably depressed. Harry didn't want her, he didn't love her...she had put all her eggs in one basket, and that little basket had a gaping hole in the bottom. This afternoon she was sitting at the table, the hazy July sunshine pouring through the windows as she gently rubbed her belly. Inside of her, Harry's son writhed and kicked...she didn't believe it at first, but it seemed like their son missed his father just as much as Hermione did. Either that or he was reacting to her depressed sate. Whichever way it went, Hermione lamented over it.

This morning, Minerva had all but ordered her to take a rest from compiling the student syllabi and required reading lists to be mailed out in the coming weeks. She had reread Hogwarts: A History, for the fifth time since she arrived (once in Italian, just for laughs), reorganized the pantry (without magic), and then went to cook herself a peach cobbler (with extra anchovies to satisfy the strange baby that occupied her womb). She was startled when Ginny banged on the door, "Just a minute!" She called and, with a grunt, lifted herself up and waddled over the door. "Really, Ginny, what kind of a witch decides to just carry the heavy shopping bags?" She teased and tried in vain to take the bags from her...Ginny wouldn't allow it. "Okay, okay, just set them on the table, I'll put everything away."

Ginny walked over to the table and set the bags down with a huff. "Well, I'd have remembered, but I've been a bit too busy trying to keep you off the public radar, because that's what you want." She sighed and sat down with a huff. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I just...why are you still hiding out? I agree you are justified in your anger, and he shouldn't have gotten you worked up if he couldn't follow through. Merlin knows guys get pissed about us doing that to them, so it's only fair." He fixed Hermione with an appraising stare. "You know he's going crazy, don't you? This is obviously hard on you, and it's horrible to him as well."

"I know," Hermione said quickly, "And thank you for helping me out. I know it's been hard on you too. Especially since I know Neville is trying to help Harry find me." She sat down again and looked over at Ginny. "It's just so complicated...he doesn't want me, Gin. I know I've told you this story about a hundred times but he's disgusted with how I look. I mean, the poor man was forced into marrying me..." She decided not to add 'by your brothers', "He's just upset because I have the baby inside me for now." Trying not to let the tears overtake her, Hermione looked down at the large swell to her belly and shook her head. "I'm not going to keep his child from him. It's just that this child is in me...and I'm not going to be a burden on him for the remainder of the pregnancy. I'll contact him for visitation hours after he's born."

Ginny sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "You're wrong, Hermione. He cares about you very much." She hated to relate to Hermione what she and Ron had been witness to...but it seemed the only way to get through to her. "He's slowly shutting everything and everyone out. He's too focused on trying to find you and work this all out." Ginny frowned as she looked down at her folded hands on the table top. "He got in trouble with Ministry. Ron and I were over to check on him and Unspeakables showed up. They said that he was an operative for them and that he's been neglecting his duties since you left him. He's refused to go to work and they openly threatened that he'd be sent to Azkaban if he continued to shirk his responsibilities." Ginny reached across to grab Hermione's hand. "He needs you, 'Mione...as much as you need him."

Hermione's head snapped up, "Harry is an Unspeakable?" She nearly shouted, which upset the owl that had perched on the windowsill with yet another letter from Harry, begging her to come home. She'd started throwing them out after the first day; it was just too painful. "This just goes to show you, he needs to stop worrying about me and get back to work. I'll owl him when the baby is going to be born...I told him that in the note I left him. He needs to just realize that we're better off apart." Now all Hermione had to do was convince HERSELF that they were better off apart. Because right now, it certainly didn't feel like the best option...it merely felt like a last resort.

Ginny shook her head. "Yes, he's an Unspeakable. You know how secretive they are, not allowed to tell anyone that they are part of the group. That just shows how worried he's been about you that they were willing to expose him to Ron and me in order to force him to come back." When Hermione tried to spout some bull about them being better off apart, Ginny wanted to laugh. "You'd rather have him out trying to catch the few remaining Death Eaters while his mind is occupied by worrying over you? What, do you have a death wish for him?" She wanted to shake the bushy haired witch in front of her. And she was supposed to be the smartest witch of the age? She sure wasn't acting like it. "You two are made for each other! You had one little fight over something stupid. I think you were right to get mad but I also think you need to sit down and talk this out like adults."

Sighing heavily, she shook her head, "The answer is still no, Ginny. I have enough to worry about with this baby coming. I mean, him having Merlin's is going to be difficult enough. I have to give birth at St. Mungo's now in case his magic goes off. I have to make sure I avoid stress or risk upsetting the baby and possibly hurting the both of us..." She looked up into Ginny's warm brown eyes, "And we both know that Harry gets me worked up."

Ginny shot Hermione a disappointed look. She couldn't believe how stubborn and proud Hermione was being. "You're worrying about Harry and you still love him. Your mouth can say anything, Hermione...but your eyes don't lie." She leaned forward a bit to make sure she had the slightly older witch's attention. "This isn't good for you. You've lost weight since you left Harry. That's not good for the baby. You're already stressed out, which as you just said isn't good. You need to work this thing out so that you won't be stressed anymore. And the only way that will happen is if you stuff your pride and allow Harry to try! Give the poor guy a chance. After all that's happened to him in his life, and all he's done for everyone it's the least that he deserves. Give him a second chance."

Trying to ride off Ginny's concerns with a laugh, Hermione smiled, "I was gaining too much weight as it was." She felt a tear trickle down her cheek, "Harry used to just get up and get me anything I asked for." She didn't know why she was crying; it was stupid to do so, there was no point in wishing that he was still sleeping beside her, his arm encircling her waist, rubbing her belly until both she and their son fell asleep. "Thanks for the advice Ginny but it's not going to happen. I love Harry...yes, I really do. And because I love him, I want him to be happy." She closed her eyes, "And I obviously don't make him happy."

Ginny shook her head as Hermione brushed off everything she said. "You do make Harry happy. Whether you believe it or not, you make him happy. But this..." she waved her hand about to indicate the general situation, "is not making him happy by any stretch of the word. Didn't you hear what I said? They are talking about sending him to Azkaban. Because he's been too messed up without you in his life! Hermione, you know better than anyone what Dementors do to Harry. Do you really want to subject him to that over your selfish pride?"

"Fine, I'll talk to him...but not now, not today. I have my prenatal appointment with Madame Pomfrey later and I need to eat or she's going to kill me." Whoops that had slipped out, "I mean, not that it's any big deal...but I lost another pound and a half." She bit her lip and looked down again, her voice quieter this time, "I will owl him...just not now."

Ginny gave Hermione a no nonsense glare. "Hermione Jane Potter! I mean Granger! You haven't been eating? I should skin you alive, nevermind Madame Pomfrey!" Ginny jumped to her feet and walked to the fridge to start pulling stuff out. "Since you obviously can't be trusted to eat by yourself, I'll make you food and you're going to eat every last bite, or so help me Merlin! If I have to I'll use a binding hex and force feed you." How could she be so inconsiderate of the baby? The baby was what should be most important to Hermione right now, the only thing ahead of Harry on the concern list. She was acting like she was five and needed a babysitter. She quickly whipped up a large batch of pancakes and placed them on the table. "After you eat you better go for your appointment."

Hermione nodded with a sigh, "I will, don't you worry." Nothing would stop her from making that appointment…not even raging thestrals or thrashing dragons.

* * *

Neville looked up from the newspaper he was scouring and sighed, "Harry, I don't mean to butt in here but I don't think Hermione is going to be in the paper. From what you've told me, she's been practically invisible. No one knows where she is..." Except his girlfriend. Ginny Weasley knew where Hermione was but she was keeping mum. Not even all the sexual favors in England had gotten her to open up about it...he could loosen her up in ways that weren't even legal but in this, her lips were sealed. Leaning back in his chair, he frowned at the pale, bespectacled boy before him. He looked gaunt, haunted. Neville knew for a fact he hadn't slept one minute since Hermione left. "Come on, mate. Take a break...at least do something about this Unspeakable thing. They're going to arrest you!"

Harry looked up from the portion of the paper he'd been rummaging through. No word...again! Harry's darkened eyes stared at Neville with hard glare. "Let them arrest me." His voice sounded almost defeated. "I don't care what happens to me, Neville. I need to know she's alright, that our son is alright." He shook his head and tossed down the paper. "Look at it from my point of view, Nev…we're in practically the same boat anyway. It took me years to work up the guts to say something to Hermione about my feelings for her. Then when I finally get the chance, we'd been drugged and whisked off to Rome. And then we find out we're married and expecting. Now, except for the whole drugged and not remembering what happened bit, this is what I wanted my life to be: married to the girl of my dreams and having a baby with her. And when we finally figure out what happened, who did this to us, it turns out we're not legally married because we were drugged, and she runs off thinking I don't love her anymore and that I want someone else." Harry stared hard at Neville. "Now put yourself in my place, and Ginny as Hermione. Can you honestly tell me you'd give a shit what the Unspeakables have to say about anything until she's found and you know she's alright?"

Looking down again, Neville shook his head, "No, I'd be doing the same thing you are." He looked up defiantly then, "But I wouldn't be a good friend if I merely let you piss away your future at the ministry. At least this way I can lay my head on my pillow at night and go to sleep." He smiled sadly, semi-believing what he spoke of in jest. "Listen, Hermione loves you...if she didn't, she wouldn't have been so hurt about what happened between you two. You know, when this one woman in the Herbology lab was pregnant, she left her husband four different times..." He shrugged, "And he just kept showing her that he loved her. And eventually, by the time the baby was born, she finally understood it. Hermione is stubborn; she needs a bit more convincing than most."

Harry picked up another lesser known paper and started to read. The prophet had nothing about Hermione in it, but he was holding out hope that someone might know something. "That's nice, Neville. It really is." He dropped the top of the paper to stare over it at his fellow Gryffindor. "But I can't SHOW her that I love her if I can't FIND her!" Harry might have been talented in many areas, but proving something to someone you can't find was not an area of his expertise. "Besides Neville, what can the Unspeakables do to me if I ever decided to fight back? I took down a Dark Lord they couldn't. And I was one of them, I know their spells and I know their tactics. And I live here, which is where they'd have to come for me. I have the advantage twice over on them. Let them try."

"Don't let them hear you say that," Neville said softly, "You know that's not something you mean but if they think you're a threat to international security then you're toast, Potter." And that was a serious as it got. "Have you tried contacting Hermione's other friends? Padma or Pavarti, they're both pregnant too you know, maybe Hermione went to them for advice. Or maybe Dumbledore can help you; he's pretty good at finding things."

Harry shook his head. "I've written to Padma and Parvati. Both of them say that they don't know anything, but they sound like they agree with her. So either they don't really know, or they aren't telling." Harry ran a hand through his hair as he set yet another empty paper down. "Still nothing," When Neville mentioned Dumbledore, Harry jumped to his feet. "I will not go to that old codger for help! He's partly to blame for all this! He might not have had a direct hand in what happened with the potion and the marriage, but he covered it up. He knew and could have done something, but he didn't! He and his blasted greater good!"

Neville sighed heavily. "Women, I'll never bloody understand them! From what you're telling me, it sounds like it would've made you uncomfortable to make love to her with the baby and everything going on." He threw his arms up, "But then, maybe there are things about pregnant women that we just don't bloody understand. Obviously if Padma and Parvati get it, Ginny and her mum seem to sympathize with her, and Hermione feels that way...there's something we men are missing." Suddenly, he was really glad that Ginny was on the potion.

Harry shook his head and sat back down. "It's the same with us guys, Nev. When something happens between a bloke and his girl, the guys tend to stick together. And the girls do the same. I think it's a left over from when we were all monkeys before we evolved. Some instincts just don't go away." He opened his mouth again only to find it assaulted by a letter being dropped from an owl." Harry spit the note out and ripped it open. "This is it! She has an appointment with Madame Pomfrey, and this is to remind her. Obviously she didn't tell Poppy she'd left me. I'll show up this afternoon and we'll settle this." He turned a triumphant look on Neville. "Sorry Nev, but I got to go. I need to plan out what I'm going to say. You and Ginny should come over for dinner sometime, Dobby sure misses you guys." Okay, so he was trying to rush Neville out of the house, but he had plans to make. And he didn't know if Neville would tell Ginny and get them back to Hermione somehow or not. All he knew was that he couldn't risk it.

Laughing, Neville nodded his head, "Good luck, Harry. I'm glad you finally got your lead." But Harry wasn't even paying attention. He was too busy scrambling to find a quill and parchment, press his best set of dress robes, and try not to swallow his own tongue. With a chuckle, Neville slipped out the door, praying for the best.

Harry quickly scribbled out several notes and called for Hedwig. When the snowy owl came down they were given to her with Harry apologies for the long flight she would be undertaking. As soon as Hedwig was gone, Harry grabbed his robes to get ready. The plan forming in his mind was treading a very, very thin line. But if it worked then he could have Hermione back and they could be one big happy family. Maybe it was time to quit the Unspeakables. They wanted him back or in prison, they'd have to settle for a resignation. Hermione was much more important to him than a clandestine group of super-wizards. Besides, they were doing fine without out him before he joined, they'd do fine after he left.

* * *

Hermione sighed as she lay back on the bed she normally occupied when having her prenatal appointments with Madame Pomfrey. The woman was in a right state, extremely distressed over the fact that Hermione had lost five pounds. On the other side of the bed, Hermione had her own distress to worry about...Harry. It ached that she was alone on the ward, that there wasn't even the sound of breathing. Just Madame Pomfrey's heavy steps on the cold linoleum floor as she sat back on her stool with a huff. "Hermione, I do not need to tell you why weight gain is vital to the child thriving outside the womb. Especially since he will be born with Merlin's, he needs every advantage here." She frowned markedly, "And where is Harry?"

Gazing down at the wise expanse of her belly, Hermione rubbed softly where the baby was kicking her. "I know, Madame Pomfrey...and I'm really sorry. I will try and eat more, I really will." She felt tears behind her eyes when Madame Pomfrey spoke of Harry, "Did you read the papers last week? Harry and I aren't married anymore..." her voice trailed off as Madame Pomfrey looked up from her charts, "That's not what I asked, Hermione. Just because Harry and you aren't married anymore doesn't mean he isn't the father of that baby. He should be there for you AND that baby boy." Hermione was silent then...who could argue with logic like that?

Harry Potter apparated right to the gates of Hogwarts and started the long trek to the great steps at a dead run. He never had been one for taking things slowly. He always just rushed in with no thought of the consequences. He had Hermione for worrying about the details. Well, he didn't have her anymore, but with any luck that would change soon. Harry burst into the entrance hall and made his way up two flights of stairs to the hospital wing. When he opened the doors he was breathing heavily. "Sorry I'm late."

Hermione's eyes nearly popped out of her head when Harry flew through the doors to the hospital wing. "Harry?" She asked, the unadulterated joy playing in her voice. But that quickly died as she remembered why they were separated in the first place, "What are you doing here? I thought you would've forgotten about this appointment already..." _Yeah, or I would've changed it_, Hermione added to herself. Still, she couldn't help but relish in his presence. She loved him, still, after all of this...she was hurt, but that didn't change how she felt. "We're just getting started, you know...if you wanted to stay for the rest."

Harry smiled and stopped a few feet from Hermione's bed. He very badly wanted to walk right over, take her in his arms, and snog the piss out of her. But with her running off, he wasn't sure if that would make her uncomfortable and demand he leave. He knew Poppy would follow through on Hermione's requests, and he stood no chance against the mediwitch when she wanted her way in her Hospital Wing. "Well, I was so busy trying to find you that I did forget. I've been looking everywhere since you left, and I never thought to wait for the appointment. I probably wouldn't be here if not for Poppy sending a reminder via owl about the appointment.

"But...I didn't get a reminder about this appointment," Hermione said suspiciously. She all but huffed when Madame Pomfrey looked away guiltily and busied herself with straightening the potions counter. "Anyway, it doesn't matter now, you're already here and, since this is your baby too, you have every right to be here." She sat up slightly and smiled, "Okay Madame Pomfrey, I think we're ready to begin."

Harry smiled and walked behind Hermione to watch over her shoulder. It had been the way he'd always stood for these things when he and Hermione were still together, old habits died hard. He couldn't help placing one hand on her shoulder while they waited for Madame Pomfrey. He wanted to lean over and kiss her, make her remember the passion they shared. But he couldn't, at least not yet. That would come later when they got to talking about things. He did lean over to whisper in her ear though, "We need to talk after this."

Madame Pomfrey was humming as she performed charms, did some general testing that even muggles knew how to use, according to Madame Rousseau's: A Witch's Guide to Pregnancy. She gritted her teeth as Harry spoke to her, "No we do not," She hissed, "I think you made yourself perfectly clear the last time we talked. I already told you I won't be keeping you from this child...so don't worry about that."

Harry stood up straight and said no more. He'd been hoping that this could be resolved like adults. That she would be willing to talk and work things out. She apparently wasn't, so his plans would have to be set in motion. He wasn't worried though. This would work out in the end. It had to. They would be a family again if it was the last thing he did on this Earth. He resigned himself watching Madame Pomfrey perform her charms and spells to make sure Hermione and the baby were alright.

Finally, after several minutes of very awkward silence, Madame Pomfrey smiled. "Well despite the fact that you lost five pounds this week," She paused just long enough to watch Harry wince and Hermione cringe, "Hermione and the baby are doing wonderfully. He's an active little one too! Everything looks great. I'll see you again in three weeks, I know it's sooner than usual but I need to make sure you're gaining weight properly." Turning away, she gave the two a look, "I'm going down to dinner in the Great Hall. You're welcome to join me...or if you stay, just don't break anything. You two have a nice evening."

Harry stared at Hermione as Madam Pomfrey left the Hospital Wing. He'd thought she was looking a little thin, but he hadn't imagined she'd actually lost weight. He'd figured she just hadn't gained any since she left. This was worse than he imagined. Before Hermione could get up to leave, Harry walked around the bed and stood in front of her. "We need to talk. Like adults, not children bickering over whose turn it is to play with a toy. Please, Hermione. Give me another chance. I was wrong and I know it. Let me make things right again." Last chance before the gloves came off.

It was a little tough getting up out of bed, especially being nearly six months pregnant. And Harry boxing her in didn't help the situation. "Listen, Harry, I think that everything that needs to be said, has already been discussed. I gave you a chance, it didn't work out...and the ministry took the liberty of dissolving our marriage. It's over..." She had to work very hard at keeping the tears from her eyes; she didn't even try to keep the tight sound out of her throat. There was no hiding it. "It'll be better this way. You can move on now..." Even if I never will, her brain whispered.

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll never move on. I've spent every waking minute trying to find you, and every sleepless night thinking of places I haven't looked yet. And now I've found you. I'm not giving up that easily." Harry fixed Hermione with a look of defiance. "I'm sorry...you give me no other choice." He reached out and grabbed her arm. Harry started to pull Hermione deeper into the hospital wing toward the Floo. "You won't give a chance when you can run away, so I'll just have to take you somewhere where we can work this out without distractions."

"You're _KIDNAPPING_ me!?" She snapped at him, "Harry for the love of Merlin, I'm six months pregnant. I don't do any running at all! I just want to be left in peace; you've made it very clear about your feelings on all this." But he didn't stop. He wasn't overly rough with her and she wasn't protesting for fear that she'd hurt the baby (or...was it that she actually wanted to go with him?). Either way, she allowed him to lead her to the floo without hesitation. "Really, Harry, this is..." As they were whisked away by the green flames, she stepped out in a place that looked vaguely familiar to her, "...ridiculous."

"Ridiculous as it may be, I'm doing this because you won't give me a chance to show you that my feelings are genuine. I haven't been lying to you; I want no other but you!" He led her to a bed and sat her down on it. "This is all started when we woke up in a hotel room in Rome, so I think it should be resolved in the same hotel room. I've already made reservations and I'll check us in later." He smiled over his shoulder at her. "Oh and I asked for the floo to be shut off after we arrived. It won't reactivate for three weeks for us to go to your appointment, or until we work this out and both ask for it to be turned back on. Whichever comes first."

Letting out a huff, Hermione folded her arms over her chest. "Harry, this is a crime! Although, why should I be surprised? Ginny told me that the Unspeakables are breathing down your neck to get back to work." Worry filled her expressive brown eyes, "This is suicide, Harry. They're going to lock you up! You're not only resisting working with them here, you also abducted me AND left the country." She sighed and shook her head, "Love, you're screwed." Damn it and the 'love' had slipped out almost as if she'd never stopped saying it.

Harry smiled sadly to her and shrugged. "Then let them come." His wand was out in a flash. "I didn't stop fighting Voldemort even when the odds were stacked completely against me. Not even after people closest to me were killed to make me lose the will to fight on. I won't stop fighting to get you back either." He turned away and whispered, "Besides, without you in it...my life isn't worth living." He drew a little comfort from her calling him love, but it was only a very small step toward his ultimate goal.

Closing her eyes, she let out a soft sigh, "Please don't start that again. It hurt badly enough the first time you let me down." Tears slipped down her cheeks this time without her being able to stop them. "I opened my heart to you fully and without hesitation, even though I knew that it'd get crushed. And what do you know? I was right..."

Harry spun around and advanced on her. He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her against his body. He raised one of her hands to his chest and placed it over his racing heart. "You were wrong. You feel that? Only you can make me feel that." He brought his lips down to her ear and whispered in it, "I love you. And yes, I wasn't feeling up to sleeping with you that one time. But it was **only** that one time. So much had happened to us that I wasn't feeling it. But it was only that one time. You took the situation and went with the worst possible reason for my inability to...perform."

A shiver went through her as he brought his lips close to her ear. "Please, Harry...just stop it." Already she knew that her body was reacting to him, the heat rising several notches as he told her how he loved her. "I saw how your affections waned as you got busier...and I got bigger. Really, it's fine; I shouldn't have expected anything more from a boy who can have any witch at the drop of a hat." Still, she couldn't deny that deep inside of her, the baby knew what was happening. She sighed and reached out to grasp Harry's hand, "Someone is dying to say hello."

Harry shook his head as she accused him of putting her on the back burner. "It happens, love. People get busy and life tries to intervene. It wouldn't have been permanent. I was hiring a general manager in a couple of days and he would have run the new store for me. And you'd have been the center of my universe again. You always were, even if my focus shifted slightly. It's just like the muggle astronomers. Just because they're exploring the moon doesn't mean the sun isn't the center of the solar system." He dropped to his knees in front of her and placed his head on her belly. "Hello, little guy. Daddy's missed you."

Several telltale kicks immediately ensued and Hermione couldn't help but feel the tears building behind her eyes. "He's missed you too," She whispered, her hand coming to rest on the side of her belly. "He's been kind of lethargic, not kicking as much...I thought it was me at first. I wasn't exactly doing cartwheels..." She decided not to elaborate on the fact that their 'breakup' had nearly killed her. "But he knows his daddy and I know he missed you." She continued to weep quietly throughout the speech, but it really hit a keynote when she managed to bite out, "Mommy missed you too." She didn't want to admit it, she didn't want to seem weak...but now that he was in front of her, she knew that she couldn't bear to live without him.

Harry placed a kiss to her swollen belly and rubbed his hand over the spot where their baby boy was making a fuss at finally being with his daddy again. He stood up and looked into Hermione's chocolate brown eyes and smiled. "Daddy missed mommy too." He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss to her cheek before whispering in her ear, "If you want me...Daddy will show Mommy just how much he missed her." His hands rubbed up her belly and stopped just bellow her breasts. He grinned playfully at her and then captured her lips with his in a soft kiss, testing the waters of what she'd allow him to do when they weren't married anymore. Of course that was a problem he fully intended to rectify when they got back to England...if she still wanted him.

Sadness and confusion welled up behind Hermione's dark eyes. She wanted it so badly, she wanted to take him inside of her, hold him as close as she could...but she also didn't want to force him to do anything he didn't want to. Already her insides were heating up at the touch of his hands grazing unintentionally against her swollen nipples as he kissed her. "Please, Harry, don't tease me...I can't stand it. I know how you feel about me looking this way. But don't be cruel and get me worked up if you can't help me afterward."

Harry shook his head and sighed. He grabbed her hand and slowly brought it to the front of his trousers where she could feel the obvious sign of his arousal. "Does this feel like I'm disgusted by the sight of you? I told you Hermione, it's not you that made me unable to perform or unable to keep my attentions on you. I had a load of shite to do at work, and then finding out the twins were behind everything...it was all a bit much to take in. But my head is cleared now, and I gave the Flumes' permission to hire their friend without me meeting him. There are no distractions now." He leaned forward so his lips with a hair's breadth away from hers. "There's only you." With that he captured her lips in a searing kiss trying to put everything he felt into it.

Hermione blushed darkly as he grasped her fingers and brought them to brush across the front of his pants. His erection seemed to twitch under just the slightest pressure and she knew that he wanted her...even like this, even as big as Potter Manor, he wanted her. She was still hurt and still angry...but there were other needs that she needed sated. "I love you," She whispered, "I always have and I always will. Please, Harry...make love to me."

Harry nodded as he pushed her back onto the bed. He slowly pulled off her shoes then followed by disrobing her. He crawled his way up her up her body slowly undressing her and kissing the newly exposed flesh as he went. Harry's hands brushed over the soft folds of her entrance before traveling up to gently capture her nipples between his fingers. When he finally got back up to her lips, his eyes were half glazed with his need for her. Harry's lips captured hers once more for good measure as he allowed his hands to reacquaint themselves with her body.

Moaning loudly against his sensual onslaught, Hermione didn't let her hands stay idle either. She fought against writhing beneath him; she was so big it pushed him away from her if she moved around too much. Her hands ran down his back, her lips kissing every part of him that she could possibly reach. But her need was great and she couldn't wait much longer. "How are we going to do this, Harry?" She frowned markedly as her desire built higher. She groaned, "I'm too big, what's the use?"

Harry gave her a wicked grin and winked. "I'll think of something. Don't you worry your pretty little head. You just lay there and enjoy what I'm going to do to you." Harry quickly got up and undressed himself. He grinned as he crawled back between her legs but rather than lay down on top of her, he stayed on his knees and grabbed her legs. He lined himself up at her entrance and then pulled her flush against him, sliding into her deeply with a sigh. He'd missed this closeness with her. Harry then wrapped her legs around his waist to hold them both in position and slowly began to work himself back and forth inside of her.

In order to help him get more leverage, Hermione quickly charmed a pillow and put it up under her back. Already she felt the tightening of her orgasm; in the past few weeks she'd been celibate, but her needs were still as crazy as ever. She'd almost broken down and asked if any of the girls knew a good pleasuring charm that could at least get her some relief! But Harry was here now; he was seeing that she was well taken care of. Crying his name, she gripped onto him with all the force she had in her as she broke apart again and again under the slightest ministration. She was his, for all time...no matter what a piece of paper said.

Harry rode out her orgasm with a grin. He wasn't finished yet. He continued to move inside her, bringing her to a second orgasm before he felt the familiar tightening in his lower stomach. He leaned forward to capture her lips in a passionate kiss as he let go and spilled himself inside her. He loved this witch, and he was hurt by his own actions that had hurt her. But he would make it up to her. He vowed then and there to never again let anything come between himself and Hermione. When he broke from the kiss Harry smiled. "I love you."

It just wasn't logical for him to stay nestled there between her thighs. She was glad when he moved beside her and she was able to put her arms around him. "I want you to know that I'm not sorry I left...but I'm just so glad that you're back in my arms. I missed you terribly."

Harry nodded his head and wrapped his arms around her in turn. "I don't blame you. I was being a right arse about everything. I regret giving you cause to leave. I just wish you would have waited a few minutes before taking off. Then I would have caught you before you disappeared and we could have worked it all out without putting the little guy through all the stress." Harry's hand ran over her belly as he spoke. "I missed you too. Just promise me that from now on we'll talk everything out before jumping to conclusions and rushing off into the distance."

"It wasn't _all_ your fault," She admitted reluctantly. "I know my hormones get the better of me sometimes and they were really raging that day. I needed to release that and being rejected after going through all we had that morning really left me shaking." She shrugged and kissed his lips again, "I promise that I'll talk to you, I can't promise I won't jump to conclusions or fly of the handle sometimes. Just know that I love you...that'll see us through."

Harry grinned and nodded while placing a kiss to the very tip of her nose. "Well in that case, I have a question to ask you. I don't want anyone to ever have to say that I was drugged into marrying you and that it wasn't my true feelings. I don't give a damn what the Ministry thinks, I was married to you for real, and they can stuff their rules up their arse." He held up a hand and wandlessly summoned a small black velvet box to him. He held it out the Hermione and smiled. "So, Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me...again?" He opened the box to reveal a platinum ring with gold highlights in the shape of runes. A reasonably sized ruby sat upon the top of it in a square cut.

Her eyes watered as she looked over at him. The first time they had gotten married there had been no rings, no real ceremony to all of it. It had only been cheap...they couldn't even call it legal, because it hadn't been. But this time, she wanted to do this ring. Sniffling, she sat up and grasped his hands, "Let's do it, let's get married...right here in..." She looked around and laughed, "Rome. What better place? Maybe we could even Imperious the Pope to do the ceremony, Monsieur Unspeakable. What do you say?"

Harry chuckled and lunged at her to give her a tight hug and showered her with kisses. When he pulled back he took the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. "This was my mother's. Dad had it specially made as the new official ring of Lady Potter. It's only fitting that you should be the one to wear it now." Harry almost fell over laughing at her idea. "Two problems with that. One the Pope is one of the most holy men in the world and will likely have guards. Not to mention we're a wizard and a witch and if they found out we'd be declared devil spawn and our marriage annulled as the officiator wasn't in his own state of mind. Second, I may be an Unspeakable, but I don't have jurisdiction here in Rome, only in Britain. I doubt they could catch me, but I'd rather not chance it and ruin the Honeymoon."

The ring slid on and fit a little snugly; it wasn't Hermione's fault that being pregnant made her fingers, feet, and, well, just about all of her, swell. Then again, from what she'd heard of Harry Potter, Lily had been pregnant right out of Hogwarts and had probably been pregnant putting this ring on for the first time. The Potter men were such fertile bastards...the Lucidem Fertility Potion had done nothing but make what was already strong, foolproof. "At least let's take a trip to the Italian Ministry. They can marry us."

Harry noticed the tightness of the ring and smirked. "Love, tap the ring with your wand. It takes no magic from you, so you don't need to worry about the little guy. The ring will automatically size itself to the person whose wand touches it." He grinned as she suggested seeing the Ministry. "Actually, I was thinking of a proper wedding, not some Ministry debacle like last time. I want us to have a wedding your parents would be proud of. We can get the Goblins at the Italian Wizarding Bank to make all the arrangements and send out invitations. We can invite key people from Britain to ascertain that the marriage is legally recognized there. I don't want anyone coming to us in another three months and saying we aren't legally married again. If they do, I might just use the killing curse on someone to get my point across."

Biting her lip gently, she looked down at the wide expanse of her belly that shone in the dim light of the hotel room, "A proper wedding...with me looking like a bloody hippogriff?" She asked, feeling very insecure at the moment. "I love you so much...and I'd love any wedding we have, as long as it's special to us. But I'm not getting any smaller and I'm not sure I'd want to add making wedding arrangements to my already full schedule of eating, napping, and peeing."

Harry chuckled and kissed the side of her head. "You know you're kinda cute when you get all insecure and bite your lip like that." He smirked at her and then kissed her fully on the lips. "Love, you're size has nothing to do with it. You're carrying my baby; we're having a baby together. If I could I'd run up to the roof and shout it out to the world, I would. I'd let them all know. I'm actually hoping that slag Rita Skeeter will show up to the wedding and take pictures so I can say, 'That's my wife and that's my baby in there. Anyone got a problem with it better have a wand on hand'." He tightened his grip on her just a little and rested his head next to hers. "Besides, I'm sure we can fit the wedding arrangements into your oh so busy schedule. Somewhere right between napping and peeing I'd imagine."

Snuggling up against him, "Whatever you want love, I'll be more than happy to do whatever you like. As long as I can be Mrs. Hermione Potter again very soon, it'll be perfect." She nuzzled his neck, bringing her hand to rest over his where he rubbed her belly. "Now, speaking of napping..." She let her voice trail off as she yawned.

Harry chuckled and snuggled in for the long haul. "Of course, a nap sounds brilliant. I don't know those muggle criminals do it...kidnapping is a very tiring endeavor." He grinned playfully at her and kissed her belly. "Night little man." He then came up to kiss Hermione once more. "Good night, love." With that Harry closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with Hermione in his arms. The world was right again. Well, it would be as soon as they were properly married once more.

Letting out a content sigh, she giggled as he pressed his lips to her swollen womb and then to hers again. "Goodnight my love," She answered and closed her eyes, pulling the blankets up around them both as she rested against him. She fell asleep with his hand tracing light circles over her belly and the sound of his breathing.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello everyone! I hope that those of you who get Good Friday off of school and work will enjoy this week's chapter posted early!! We want to wish you all a wonderful Friday, a Happy Easter--for those who celebrate--and a lovely weekend!**

**The next chapter will be the last one, I can't quite believe we're there already! Don't forget to keep reading and reviewing, we want to know about all your thoughts and feelings before we get to the end! This chapter is a lot of fun. We hope you enjoy it!**

**Much love,**

**Marina & James**

* * *

The first indication that the Potters...err...Potter and Granger, were having a spat, was the slamming of doors. At first Harold Percy had been just doing his job, making the hotel was in tip-top shape. But as the banging got louder and the voices became deafening, he got worried. Tiptoeing toward the door, he heard the screeching yell of the woman, Hermione Granger. "You must be bloody mad!" She yelled, "If you think for one second..." And then in anger, Harry Potter retorted with, "Oh please, Hermione. Don't give me that!" It continued on and on. Guests in the surrounding rooms began to complain, silencing charms were cast...but Harold was worried. Especially when he heard a loud grunt and then, "I warned you!"

Harold was quickly beginning to believe the situation was becoming volatile; especially when the last warning was accompanied by a shriek. He was scandalized. Never in all his twenty years of service at fine Roman Wizarding Hotel had any guest attacked another, even if it was someone they were staying with. But here he'd heard open threats passed back and forth and what sounded like the woman, Hermione Granger, being attacked and crying in fear. He'd not be able to call himself a wizard if he sat back and did nothing. Harold grabbed his universal keys and opened the door storming in. "Now see here! We do-" He was caught off guard by the sight before him.

Harry Potter and Hermione had been having a wonderful day of discussing baby names until Harry had suggested Sirius James again. Hermione had thought the idea sweet, but she wasn't too fond of it. Harry was; what better way to honor his father and his godfather? The discussion had quickly degraded to an argument and shouting match. Of course Harry went to disarm it by snuggling up to Hermione, she could _never_ resist him then. She'd caught on and warned him not to do it, but he never listened anyway.

Harry had picked her up, eliciting a shriek of surprise from his fiancé, and tossed her back first on the bed. He'd just have to sex her up into agreeing the name was good. He crawled up the bed and began to run his hands over her body, kissing any place he knew drove her wild. And in her current condition, that was _everywhere_. 

It was into this scene that Harold Percy had found himself storming in and stopping short. The two were about to make love. The man quickly blushed enough to make a Weasley jealous and excused himself from the room. Harry broke out laughing and turned back to Hermione. "Now look, you've upset the employees. Come on love, I know you like the name." He trailed kisses down her jaw and neck, one hand playing with her breasts. "It's **perfect**. Please?"

When Harry Potter got set in his ways, there was just no stopping him. But Hermione was in the mood to fool around, and so she had put up the mock resistance that had gotten them in this 'trouble'. She just about died laughing when a concerned steward burst in, pleading with Harry not to murder her. Hermione laughed, holding Harry close to her body as not to flash her half-exposed breasts to the rest of the world. After he left, she kissed Harry deeply, "Fine, we can name him Sirius James...but I get to name the next one. And I can pick whatever I want! Maybe an Ingrid Josephine or a Eugene Clyde...something that'll really get him or her beat up at school." She teased and kissed him passionately again, "Let's seal the deal, shall we?"

Harry grinned at her and nodded. "Anything you want, love." He leaned in to kiss her passionately, his tongue teasing her own. The hand that was playing with her breasts stopped to assist the other hand in removing her robes. Once she was fully exposed to him Harry gave her a lust filled look and kissed her, his right hand dropping low to play with her and drive her crazy. He loved to make her beg for him to enter her. It was such a turn on to hear his name on her pleading lips.

He didn't have to wait at all this morning; Hermione was already soaked for him. She had been getting worked up when they playfully teased each other, running around the room, closing doors, laughing and hollering. They probably woke the dead with all their noise! By the time he began to tease her folds, Harry had worked her into such a frenzy that she couldn't speak. She gripped him, her words coming out as unintelligible moans as she pleaded him with her eyes and with her body. She needed him now...that's all there was to it.

Harry removed his finger from her soaked center and licked them clean, "Mmm. Have I ever told you how good you taste?" He leaned in to nibble on her ear lobe while his hand guided him into her slowly. Harry slowly pushed into her until he was buried as far as it was possible for him to be buried in her. He lifted her hips up so that he could place a pillow under the small of her back and then slowly began to pull out of her, only to push back in. He absolutely loved the feeling of her body wrapped around him.

The tightening of her orgasm was immediate as she watched him lick her essence from his finger. She was big, she knew that, but he wanted her...and she certainly wanted him. Without another word she stuffed the maternity pillow they had purchased at a shop in Rome under her back and she arched herself for him. The feeling of him slipping inside of her made her cry out and his name exploded from her lips as she dragged her nails down his back. "Please..." She whispered, her entire body shaking.

Harry loved to hear her beg for him. She most certainly wasn't a virgin anymore, but she still always felt tight around him. And when she was in the onset of an orgasm she tended to tense, which only heightened his pleasure. He kissed her deeply and drove into her with a few powerful thrusts before he felt the familiar tightening in himself. Within moments he was spilling himself inside her.

Hermione came again and again under his powerful strokes. She cried out for him, words of love bursting from her lips. It wasn't long before she felt a rush of warmth and he rested beside her, sated. Breathing heavily, she rolled onto her side as she looked at him, "I think making up with you is worth all the fighting in the world."

Harry nodded and smiled at her. He wrapped his powerful arms around her as best he could and nuzzled into her neck. "Yeah, I have to agree with you there. We'll just have to 'fight' more often. How does two days from now sound? 'Bout three o'clock?" He grinned playfully at her and nibbled on her ears. "Have I told you today that I love you?" He then sat up and leaned over to kiss her belly. "And that I love you, Sirius James?"

"Hmm," Hermione answered and then grinned cheekily, "I think you've told me you love me about a hundred times. But I never get tired of hearing it. And I love you too." She loved him with all her heart and soul, with everything inside of her. As he leaned down to kiss her swollen belly she smiled and ran her fingers through his damp, sweat-soaked hair, "And I love our baby too. My little Sirius..."

Harry grinned and lay back down beside her. His breathing was finally starting to settle down a bit as their heart rates both came back down from their love making. "So, when did you want to get married? We'll need to work out a date before we can coordinate with the Goblins to get us the things we'll need. You know them and their time lines. Always wanting to know how long they have to get things done." He rolled his eyes. He liked the goblins, he really did, and they were always nice to him. But, sometimes they could be a little overbearing in their business practices. 

Hermione rolled onto her back for comfort's sake. With her being so big it was hard to stay on her side, especially with the baby kicking her so much. Thinking about the wedding she smiled, "Well, I'd like it to be small, for one thing. I think just a few of our closest friends. I don't want the press there so...maybe we can hold it at Potter Manor. You know, we have the room and all." She rubbed her belly thoughtfully as she looked over at him. "And the sooner the better. It won't be too long before I pop and I don't want to have to deal with a brand new baby AND planning a wedding."

Harry chuckled and nodded. "Alright. A smaller wedding it is. Although I do think the press will be plenty pissed that they missed out on not only our 'fake' first wedding but also our real second wedding, especially Rita. No press means we can't invite Colin. He's a photojournalist so he's likely to sell whatever pictures to the Prophet and Rita will either come with him as a beetle or take his account of it and do her own take of the whole thing."

Scoffing, Hermione folded her arms, "So what do you suggest? We invite all the press and have them do our photography for us?" She chuckled, "You know, that's not a bad idea. We could save a few sickles doing wedding photos that way," She teased. "And Colin showed us his true colors the last time we were here in Rome. He's only looking to make a buck; he doesn't care about us anymore."

Harry nodded. "I think the fame of being associated with the boy who lived went to his head." It was sad really. Colin had been one of his biggest fans all throughout school. He'd taken pictures and defended Harry when most abandoned him. He'd even been part of the D.A. But then he fought in the last battle with everyone else and it all went south for their friendship after that. "Having the press do our photos won't be a bad idea. But not Colin. I don't want him anywhere near the Manor."

"So it's settled then, we'll invite perhaps just the Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and Quibbler reporters in. They're the only periodicals I really trust to get the story right." She smiled over at him, "And we'll invite the Weasleys, I think Fred and George would know better not to come. But even if they did, I find that I'm not so angry with them anymore." That was a new development...something she hadn't thought of before. "Oh and Neville, of course. Maybe even some of our other friends from school, Padma and Parvati, Dean Thomas, Lavender Brown, you know, the people in our year." She smiled, "And could I invite some people from work?"

Harry nodded his head. "Well you might not be angry with them anymore, but I certainly still am." If he saw those two he was very likely to try and hex them out of their skin. "That list sounds good." When she tentatively asked about bringing friends, Harry chuckled. "Of course you can bring your friends from work." Of course that made him remember about the Unspeakables and that he'd have to settle things with them or they were likely to crash the wedding. "I'll need to go back home and deal with my bosses. I'm going to quit, but I have a feeling they might want me to pay some hefty fine and do one last job for them before they let me go in peace." Damned Unspeakables.

Sitting up slightly, she nodded. She had almost forgotten about that...almost, "And Minerva and Albus, if you'll let him come. Maybe we could even be kind and invite Professor Snape, Flitwick, Madame Sprout...and Hagrid, of course!" Looking over at him she sighed. "We should go back...we need to go back and face this. The longer it festers, the worse it'll be. I just got you back, I can't lose you now." 

Harry was just about to reply when the door shattered filling the room with woodchips and dust. He knew what it was right away. The Unspeakables had tracked him down. The explosion left his ears ringing but he knew spells would be flying in moments. He couldn't risk Hermione getting hit. Any dangerous spells would affect the baby. He quickly raised his hand and cast a wandless protego on her to protect her and the baby before standing up and lifting his hands in surrender. "I give. Just don't shoot or you might hit my pregnant fiancé." Merlin save the Unspeakable that didn't listen and tried to hurt Hermione. They'd get a taste of the Harry Potter that Voldemort had faced down.

Hermione screamed as the door exploded off its hinges. She pulled the blankets around her in a hurry and stared into the eyes of two women and a man dressed from head to toe in the official blue robes of the ministry, even their faces were covered...to protect their identities. "Please, please don't hurt him!" She dodged a hex that went far too close to her and let out a cry, "I'm pregnant, please!" All motion seemed to stop as Harry held up his hands and walked toward them. Tears were running down her cheeks; just as soon as they got happy, all of this happened. "Don't worry, Harry, we'll find someone who can get you out of this. Just...hold on."

Harry nodded and looked over his shoulder to Hermione. "I love you. No matter what, I love you." He turned back to the male Unspeakable and grinned. "Care to let me get dressed, or do you fancy taking me out in the buff? I don't mind either way, nothing to hide." His eyes roamed over the blue robes of the British Ministry and he had to chuckle. "I see they're making you wear blue instead of Unspeakable grey. Must be embarrassing to have to associate yourself with the rest of the Ministry." He barely dodged a shot to his face. "Alright, I'll shut it. Don't worry. How much is this gunna cost me? I was planning on quitting you know."

The man who had him, at least, it looked to be a man under the concealing garments, grabbed him forcefully and pulled him toward the door while another took his wand. "You are charged with treason, Mr. Potter...treason." As Harry was led away, a woman Unspeakable walked over to Hermione. Obviously not all of the organization was heartless. "Miss Granger, do you need any help getting home? I wouldn't mind escorting you."

Sobbing audibly, Hermione just shook her head. "No, no, I'll be fine. I just need to get home. I need to get home and call someone to help him." The woman nodded and disappeared. It took a while but Hermione finally composed herself enough to get up and make it back to the floo. Without another word she flooed back to Potter Manor, where she hadn't been for weeks, and collapsed on the bed she and Harry had shared as a married couple. Things weren't going as planned...

Harry was portkeyed straight to Department of Mysteries holding cell. He'd escorted a few people to this very cell a few times, but he'd never had to be in it like this. "Damn, I hate portkeys." His head was spinning a little from the vertigo effect of the portkey travel. He wondered how long they'd make him wait in the cell before they came to speak with him. They tended to take a while, freak out the prisoners and get them to confess to things. Of course not everyone knew Occlumency. Harry had been forced to learn upon his acceptance as an Unspeakable. He could wait for days without experiencing sensory deprivation as long as he blocked his mind off. They'd know that of course, and they'd probably come as soon as they got his file together.

Back at home, Hermione still was not able to do anything. Dobby was so worried; he paced around in the nursery, weeping just as bitterly as Hermione over all of this. Finally he had his Mistress back...but now Master was gone. The child within Hermione's belly obviously didn't like the stress, because his kicks became almost violent as Hermione lay back. She sat there, winded from his kicks and the crying...she needed her husband, she needed the man she loved, the father of her child. She'd die without him.

Two hours after he'd been taken, the floo burned bright green in Harry's study. He stepped through, smacking his head on the low fireplace and cussed as his wand was thrown through after him. They might have let him go, but they certainly weren't gentle about it. He stumbled to his feet wearing a common black robe and walked down the hall. He followed the sounds of crying to the room he shared with Hermione and opened the door. "Honey, I'm home." He patiently awaited the bushy haired missile named Hermione that he knew would come flying at him.

Again, he didn't need to wait long at all. Even at seven months pregnant, she moved faster than any pregnant woman on earth as she jumped into his arms. She showered him with kisses, her love raining down on top of him. "I was so scared," She sobbed, her tears soaking through his robes. "I thought they were going to kill you or lock you away for a long time. I couldn't bear it...I need you Harry."

Harry caught Hermione in a tight hug, stumbling back a bit because of the speed at which she'd managed to throw her weight at him. "Hey, it's alright. I wasn't worried. I just told them I wanted to quit and they dropped the charges as long as I made a 'donation'. I took the Malfoy way out. Corruption can sometimes be beneficial to us." He gave her a soft smile and kissed her gently. "No need to worry about me."

Holding him tightly, she sniffled and kissed his cheeks gently. "Harry, there's...there's something I want you to know." She pulled back, grasping his hand and leading him to sit on the edge of the bed. She wanted to clear the air, to tell him everything she had been thinking about since the moment they got into this situation. "When we first woke up in Rome and you were saying you loved me and everything...I wasn't reluctant because I didn't love you back. I was just terrified that your love was conditional, that you'd find someone better." She looked down again. "But I've loved you longer than that. Long before Ron, long before the final battle...I just never was able to give myself that freely. I was a coward and...I'm sorry." 

Harry rubbed her back gently. "It's alright. To tell you the truth...I was a bit of a coward myself." He led her to the bed and sat her down on it. "I've loved you since fourth year. When you came to the first task and snuck into the champions' tent to make sure I was alright...I knew then that my feelings for you had changed. And the way you looked at the Yule Ball. I was stupid to ask you to it myself." He gave her a soft smile and chuckled a bit. "So much for Gryffindor courage."

Laughing wearily she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Maybe we should've been Hufflepuffs! At least we were loyal friends through all this," She teased and smiled over at him. "It's just strange, you know? I was with Ron for so long...and I love him too, just not in the same way I love you. I wanted to love Ron...I wanted us to be the way it always was. And he was always so much more open about how he felt." She rubbed her belly and then laughed, "Although we were both confused. Look at how quickly he married Luna? And they're happy...they're soul mates, I think. Just like us..."

Harry shook his head laughing quietly. "Ron, open about his emotions? This coming from the witch who in fifth year said Ron had the emotional range of a teaspoon?" Harry took a deep breath and lay back on the soft mattress. "Can you really blame me for being closed off? I grew up in a place where anything I did was wrong and got me beaten. I learned to hide my emotions to avoid a belt across the back and a week locked in a small cupboard with no food." Harry looked over at Hermione then and smiled. "But it's alright. That's the past. You," He gave her a tight hug, "are my future." 

The images caused Hermione to shudder and she held him tighter to her. She needed him; she needed to hold him now more than ever. Since they had spent the better part of the morning making love, she didn't feel at all amorous. She just wanted him to hold her. "And what a wonderful future it will be. Just you, me, Sirius James, and whatever other children we're blessed with." Suddenly she looked over at him, "You DO want other children, don't you?"

Harry looked at Hermione and nodded his head. "Of course I want children. I had no real family growing up. I plan to make up for it by having a family to make Molly Weasley jealous." He gave her a playful grin and wrapped his arms around her. "I'll have as many children as you're willing to bear for me. After all...it's not like we can't afford them."

Hermione felt the exact same way. Being an only child had been lonely for her. Oh, she'd had wonderful parents and a very loving, supportive family...but she spent a lot of her youth alone, reading. It's how she had become so knowledgeable. But she had vowed, since she was old enough to learn where babies came from (around five years old) that she would have several children so they'd always have someone to play with. "Oh I'm not sure if I want seven...maybe four or five." She laughed and kissed him again, "We'll see how it goes."

Harry returned her kiss and snuggled into the bed with her "We'll see. Can't very well do anything about it if we have four or five and you end up pregnant again." He gave her a mischievous look. "And you know how we Potters are...we tend to have strong swimmers." Harry chuckled at the almost scandalized look on Hermione's face and ran his hands over her belly. "Don't worry. I won't intentionally get you pregnant if you don't want to be."

Chuckling, she lay as close to him as physically possible without crushing him under her weight. She lay her head on his shoulder and pressed soft kisses to his face and neck. "I know you would never get me pregnant if I didn't want to be. Pregnancy is very hard on the woman...but I think it's worth it. To bring your perfect child into the world, to be a mother, all of it..." She sighed, "I love you so much. And I'm so blessed to be the mother of your child. Even under the circumstances from which it came about."

Harry nodded his head and trailed a few kisses along her jaw. "You're the only woman I want to bear my children." He hated the circumstances that had brought them together. Especially since those same ones had torn them apart for a brief time. But they were together now. They wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore. No conspiracies, no Unspeakables, nothing. They could finally relax and be happy. And that would include healthy babies running around. "I think I should talk to Albus about that job of Defense teacher. What do you think?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea!" Hermione cried, smiling broadly. "Teaching the future is an important thing and since the pay isn't phenomenal, not everyone wants the job. This is perfect for you...and I'm sure it'd make Professor Dumbledore very happy." She smiled and rubbed her belly softly. "I've decided to leave Ars Alchima and be at home with the kids. Now, that doesn't mean I'm giving up my work. I really want to work with experimental charms...and this is the perfect place to do that. Not to mention I get to spend plenty of time with my favorite husband and son."

Harry chuckled. "Well you know Flitwick is getting on in years. He's only part Goblin and he might be quitting soon. I think you'd be a good replacement for him." Pay wasn't the only thing that kept people away from the Defense teaching position. Even after Voldemort's death the curse on the job had remained. But Harry had a feeling that since he'd defeated Voldemort, he could defeat the curse as well. "Besides, I'm mostly doing this for the kids. I want to know that our children will receive the best education and not a bumbling idiot like Quirrel and Lockhart were."

Staring blankly at him, she shook her head, "Harry, I don't think anyone can replace Flitwick. I mean, I know he's getting older but...no, I couldn't." She looked down and rubbed her belly gently and then looked up at him again. "Besides, if you and I keep on as we have, I'll need maternity leave every nine months." She laughed heartily and sat back, "Maybe I'll be a substitute for the class while I work on my own charms. That way I wouldn't be letting anyone down."

Harry chuckled and stared up at the ceiling. "I know no one could replace Flitwick. I can't imagine anyone else but McGonagall teaching transfiguration. But still, from what I've heard the old half-Goblin wants to retire. I think I heard a rumor about him returning to the dueling circuit for a few last hurrahs before he fully retires to work on new and better ways to do old charms." He turned to look at Hermione then and smiled. "You'd be perfect to take over after he's gone. The whole substitute thing would be good. Sit in on his classes and see how he does things from a teacher's perspective, not a student's. Learn the way he does things so that once he's gone the quality of teaching won't go down. Besides, then you and I could be together during the school year. If I take the DADA job I have to stay at the school during the year so I can do teacher patrols and such."

"No you wouldn't have to stay at the school; not when we're so close. You could do your patrols and then floo home in the evening. If something happened you're close enough to run there...if everything else failed." Grasping his hand, she kissed it gently, "If not, you know that Sirius and I would live at the school with you. It wouldn't be like this but...we'd make do." She'd sacrifice everything to be with him.

Harry chuckled. "Hermione I would want to stay at the school. Remember all the times we went to McGonagall late at night because of one problem or another? Like my visions in fifth year of Mr. Weasley getting attacked by Nagini? If she didn't stay at the school then she wouldn't have been there to help. I'd want to give that same commitment to my students." He eyed her up and down then and smiled. "But I'm certain Dumbledore would have no problem with you staying at the school with me."

Sighing, she rubbed her belly gently. "I know Hogwarts is a wonderful place...but is it really conducive to raising a child? Or children, for that matter? Harry, think about it," She sat up then, looking down at him. Inside of her Sirius writhed and kicked, upset by the sudden movements of his mother. "Think about all the chaos at the school. Now, I know Voldemort is gone now and things are calmer but...we'd never have any privacy!"

Harry chuckled and rubbed one hand down Hermione's back while she sat there. "Of course we would. You forget...we're alumni. If nothing else we know all the best broom closets." He gave her a playful grin and failed at trying to keep from laughing. "Besides, I think it would be great to have children there. No one would mess with our kids because they'd fear the wrath of the 'Great Harry Potter'." He made a face at the title like he'd bit into a very sour lemon. "Besides, Sirius would have lots of friends to play with when he got older. The only real problem would be purist Slytherins and worrying about how he'd take his friends leaving every seven years. But I'm sure he'd be alright after he got accepted to Hogwarts himself. Same with any others we have."

Biting her lip, Hermione silently conceded. "It would be good for him to have full time medical care with Madame Pomfrey there, and well-qualified witches and wizards like Minerva. With his Merlin's Syndrome, I want him to have the most normal childhood possible...but we also need to protect him. He'd have that at Hogwarts. And look at it this way," She laughed, "We'll always have a good babysitter!"

Harry chuckled, "Yeah, exactly. Who better to help us keep his Merlin's in check than Albus Dumbledore?" As much as Harry loathed admitting it… "And Minerva McGonagall? We could even press Snape into watching on nights when we want some alone time...just to goad the greasy git!" Harry started laughing so hard his eyes were tearing up. "From what I heard Trelawney is leaving as well. I think she finally admitted that her gift of the sight only came once every blue moon. I think Padma and Luna were in the running to take over for her once she's officially gone. Nothing like friendly faces to keep an eye on the Newest Marauder."

"Marauder? Oh no, this little boy is going to be the epitome of good behavior. Why, all the parents will be jealous!" She laughed and patted as the baby kicked her hard. "Well either he likes the idea or he's saying 'Mum, you're bloody daft.'" She raised an eyebrow, "I'm leaning towards the latter."

Harry chuckled and nodded his head as he pulled Hermione back into an embrace. "I think 'Mum, you're bloody daft' is about right. I mean just look at how much mischief he's causing already. And he isn't even born yet! I'd venture to say that he'll give my dad and the other Marauders a run for their money. He'll make them damned proud."

Chuckling, she scooted down and laid her head back on Harry's chest. The sound of his heart beating was calming and she let out a content sigh. "For all you know he may love the library...well, from what I've heard there are a lot of secret passages out of Hogwarts in there. Maybe we ought to keep a closer eye on him if he spends all his time in the library like I did." She smiled and looked into his eyes again, "Although you fell in love with me, even with my excessive trips to the library. In fact, I think we spent a lot of our time at school in the library. Maybe he'll find the girl of his dreams there."

Harry chuckled and let go of her to roll over and fumble around in his bedside table. He pulled out a piece of folded parchment and tapped it with his wand. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The parchment quickly became the Marauder's map and Harry waved it around for her. "Love, with this there is no safe secret passage for him to run off through. I can find him anywhere. I almost feel sorry for the kids I'll catch in broom closets thinking they're so smart."

Looking at the map that she had seen a few times before, she nodded. "Yes, I know...although you shouldn't abuse that power. After all, what's the matter with a little snog on a Saturday night after midnight? As long as it's not causing any harm..." She let her voice trail off as she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Although if we had found a broom closet back in our school days, we could be having little Sirius here long before now."

Harry chuckled and tapped the map again. "Mischief managed." He put the map away and turned to look at Hermione again. "Exactly my point. I have no problem with a snog here and there. But if it goes any farther...as I'm sure it will with the upper classmen...then I have to intervene." Harry leaned his head against Hermione's and whispered into her ear. "You know, if we'd have secluded ourselves in a broom closet back in school I don't think anything would have happened. I'd have been a nervous stuttering wreck and you were too hung up on Ron at the time. But it would have been great for a few laughs when teachers caught us."

Hermione leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Oh, I think I would've been assertive enough for the both of us." She purred and gently nibbled on his earlobe. "Besides, I was roommates with Lavender Brown...did you know that at the end of seventh year, Dean Thomas and she got pregnant? Well, her father flipped his lid and insisted she have an abortion..." Biting her lip, Hermione shrugged, "I don't know if she did or not. I haven't seen her since." Still, it was just something to keep in mind. "Hogwarts really should have a sexual education class."

Harry chuckled and nodded. "Oh yes...let's teach them all about sex and how to be safe doing it so that they can use 'we were protected' as an excuse to have more of it. Hermione we don't need fifth, sixth, and seventh years shagging in the broom closets every night." He leaned into her and rubbed a hand along the inside of her thigh, brushing his fingers against her folds. "Then where will we sneak off to when they're all full?"

The feeling of his fingers against her sensitive folds caused her to let out a little gasp of pleasure. "You're right, what was I thinking?" She teased, moving closer to him, "Although right now I'm too big for the broom closet...hell, I need the entire broom shed to accommodate the sheer size of me."

Harry chuckled and nibbled on her earlobe as he dipped two fingers inside of her. "Well...there is always the Quidditch pitch." Harry loved Quidditch; the game was just about everything to him in school. "The pitch has a wonderfully large broom shed for the school brooms. And let's not forget the locker rooms. The only time we wouldn't be able to sneak down there is when the teams have practice, which wouldn't start for the first couple months at the earliest." His fingers flexed inside of her to tease her center a little. He loved how easy it was to get her worked up.

Arching up to greet his pressing fingers, she let out a soft moan. "I'd take you anywhere, as long as I got to have you inside of me." She gripped the back of his head and kissed him with force. "Dear Merlin, I could make love to you a hundred times a day. I crave your body on mine, I want it so badly," She whispered. "Please, Harry, don't keep me waiting. I'll explode!"

Harry grinned and nibbled her earlobe one last time. "Well we can't little pieces of Hermione everywhere. Poor Dobby would have a fit at the mess." He removed his fingers from inside her and slowly took off the Robe that the Unspeakables had so kindly provided for him. Harry parted her robe a bit and then trailed kisses over her belly and up to her breasts. While he attended to her sensitives buds with his tongue her hand guided him into her center and he buried himself inside her body. God he loved the feeling of her.

"He might still find a mess," She managed to squeak out as she wrapped her arms around him again. The feeling of him slowly entering her body made her hiss in pleasure and she bit down slightly on his shoulder to keep from screaming as her nails bit into his back. For a long time she did nothing but breathe heavily, but soon her body tightened around him, milking him for everything he was worth. And to her, he was worth every moment.

Harry always loved it when she tightened around him as if she were trying to squeeze every last drop out of him. His thrusts had started out smooth and rhythmic, but they had worked each other up so much before hand that he didn't last long. Apparently neither did she. His breathing became as erratic as Hermione's while she bit his shoulder and scratched his back. Oh well, if she drew blood it would be nothing that a quick healing charm couldn't fix. Harry let out a hiss of pleasure when he finally gave in and came inside of her. He stayed buried in her as deep as he could go until he couldn't hold himself up anymore. With a sigh he rolled off her to the side and held her tightly.

As usual, she came away from their lovemaking sated. Her body was covered in a sheen of sweat and she knew that the child inside of her had fallen asleep to the rhythmic movements of his parents making love. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his shoulder and smiled, "I love you." She whispered before pulling the sheet up over them and yawning. It was long past time for bed, and she needed her rest. Now more than ever.

Harry allowed Hermione to find a comfortable spot against his body as they snuggled in for the night. He was more sated now than ever. Perhaps that was because he was able to fully enjoy their lovemaking without having the worry of the Unspeakables or her running away or even about the conspiracy to take advantage of their lives in the back of his head. For once he was able to enjoy the feeling of her around him with all parts of his brain. And what a feeling it was. "I love you too. Good night, 'Mione, night Sirius." He felt a tiny, tired kick in her stomach where his hand rested just before he drifted off to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

The two months were like one long marathon that never ended. Harry and Hermione were not only dealing with getting the house ready for a child with Merlin's Syndrome but also planning for a wedding that would unite them for good. The ceremony would be at Hogwarts and today, September the twentieth, marked the day that all their dreams would come true.

Mrs. Weasley had insisted (DEMANDED) that she pay for everything. And they'd had no say in that; the Weasley matriarch felt horrible about the part she inadvertently played in causing Harry and Hermione to go through everything they had. And so, she helped Hermione pick out wedding robes, arranged the flowers, put the finishing touches on the ceremony, and she had sent out invitations herself. And now, today was the day. It was a beautiful September morning; the cool, crisp weather was a delightful change from the heat that had driven Hermione mad the last few months. Being pregnant was one thing, being pregnant in a hundred degree heat was quite another.

Today she sat in a room off to the side of the Great Hall where the house elves usually took their meals. Rubbing her back, she moaned softly, "I have a horrific backache," She complained. Since last night she'd been in quite a lot of pain. Not even one of Harry's famous massages had helped...after the ceremony she'd see Madame Pomfrey. But Dobby had just come told her that it was time. She smiled at Charlie who was giving her away and linked her arm in his as a particularly bad cramp went through her. Hunching slightly, he held her upright but she just shook her head as the music began. "I'm fine, really...Sirius is just excited that we're marrying daddy today." And then, she started down the aisle.

Harry was beyond nervous. He'd married Hermione once already, sure, but he didn't remember that time. This was doing it all over again, but for him and Hermione, it was the first time. He wore standard black dress robes and paced back and forth in the teachers lounge just off the Great hall. Ron, of course, was having a field day in poking fun at the fact that Harry could take on the worst Dark Lord of all time and his inner circle without flinching...but tell him he's getting married to the woman of his dreams and he suddenly forgot which shoe went on which foot. If he hadn't been so nervous, Harry might have found it all rather amusing himself.

Dobby popped into the room just as Harry was about to hex Ron for all his jokes to announce that it was time. Harry shot Ron a look that said quite clearly, 'you just got lucky', before following the small house elf outside to the altar to wait for Hermione to walk down the aisle. He smiled his best as cameras snapped pictures from every angle, once again wondering what they thinking in allowing the media to be present. Oh, that's right; it was so that they could have them do their wedding photos. Harry gave a small smile to Dumbledore and McGonagall just as the music hit a crescendo to mark the entrance of Hermione.

The dress that Hermione wore was beautifully made, all silk and lace. It had an empire waist which made her swollen belly look slightly slimmer. But everyone knew that she was pregnant; she radiated with her maternal glow (or perhaps that was the flash of camera bulbs). Halfway down the aisle her breath hitched and her steps faltered; damn it, the pain was terrible! Breathing heavily, she stopped, pretending to give a nice photo opportunity before she finally finished the trip down the aisle to meet Harry. She placed her hand in his, and the other rested on her belly as she smiled at him. Finally, they were getting married...all of their dreams were coming true.

Harry watched Hermione approach with bated breath. He couldn't keep his eyes off her. She was absolutely, hands down, the most beautiful woman in the world to him. He almost ran to her when she seemed to falter but then she seemed to strike a pose for a camera. Perhaps she was just having trouble coming to a stop while pregnant and wearing that dress? He didn't need to worry, Charlie was helping her and he'd tell them if something was wrong. Right? When Hermione joined him at the front Harry took her hand and leaned in to whisper, "You look beautiful."

Blushing, Hermione smiled softly and turned toward Amelia Bones who had really gone all out in her attire. She was wearing all the insignia of the ministry and had even brought out the sacred robes of Merlin that hadn't been worn since the wedding of Arthur and Gwendolyn. "Thank you," Hermione whispered, "You look very handsome yourself." With a tap of her wand, Amelia stood before them, "Witches, Wizards, friends of the ministry and of England, I welcome you today to the binding of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, international war heroes and some of the best friends we could ever hope to have." It had begun.

Harry listened half heartedly to what was being said by Madam Bones. He couldn't focus on anything or anyone other than his wife. She was practically glowing in front of everyone. He gave her a smile while he watched her and rubbed the back of her hands with his thumbs. Before long he did manage to hear three words properly, "Repeat after me." Harry nodded and followed everything the woman said. "I, Harry James Potter, take Hermione Jane Granger, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for as long as we both shall live." He gave Hermione a bright smile while waiting for her to do the same.

Madame Bones waxed poetry in her words and Hermione was very impressed. This was a ceremony she'd only read about in legend...and yet they'd revived it just for her and Harry. His vows were wonderful and she smiled, grimacing only slightly as another pain lanced through her. "I, Hermione Jane Granger, take Harry James Potter to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until..." A burst of water running down her legs made her halt in her tracks, "My water just broke..."

Harry blinked. That was weird vow, "Until your water breaks? Hermione I'm not sure this is the best time for j-" His eyes widened then as he realized what she had just said. "YOUR WATER JUST BROKE?!" Okay, so he hadn't meant for it to be that loud. But it had gotten the attention of everyone else in the room. The photographers were taking rapid fire shots as people started to stand to get a better view. "Alright, we'll go to St. Mungo's right now and have the baby. We can get married another time." He kissed her briefly before turning to Albus to tell the man to make sure Poppy was on her way to the wizard's hospital. Harry didn't want anyone one else delivering his baby if he had a say in it.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Hermione bellowed; her cheeks darkening as she stared at him. "We have time between contractions and I swore to myself that I'd be married before I brought a child into this world." Her eyes darkened as she panted slightly, her legs feeling a little unsteady. Holding onto Harry tighter, she nodded to Amelia who was looking quite pale. "Alright, the rings...with your wand, tap the ring you have brought for your spouse and repeat after me, 'Bonded in my blood, I give you this ring to symbolize my everlasting love'." Hermione, still in pain, managed to grit her teeth and say it and soon the rings were glowing bright white. Please, dear Merlin let this be over soon.

Harry was a little shocked at Hermione's outburst. Not exactly the wedding they were planning on, but he didn't want to upset her. He nodded softly and turned back, ignoring the whispers he heard rising in the crowd. He pulled his wand and did as Amelia instructed him and Hermione to perform the giving of the rings. Harry then slipped his ring over Hermione's finger and allowed her to do the same. He didn't even wait for Amelia to give them the go ahead for the kiss, he reached over lifted her veil and captured her lips with his. As soon as the kiss was over Harry gave Hermione a concerned look. "We're married. Can we go deliver the baby now so you can stop gritting your teeth at me?"

Panting softly as another contraction hit right at the end of the ceremony, Hermione kissed him as much as she could while laboring. Letting out a hard breath of air, she nodded, "Please, the baby is coming! We need to get to St. Mungo's now!" She snapped and a gasp went through the crowd. More pictures were snapped as Harry hurried her toward the floo and instructed Ron to get Madame Pomfrey. "It's really happening isn't it," Hermione murmured as she gripped Harry's hand tightly, "We're having a baby."

Harry nodded and grabbed a handful of floo powder. "Yes, it really is. Come on, love," He tossed the powder into the fire, "St. Mungo's!" The fire flared green as Harry helped Hermione into the fireplace. "Let's welcome Sirius to the world." He stepped in with her, despite Ministry experts warning about the hazards of double flooing, and helped her out at the other end. No sooner had they cleared the floo than Madam Pomfrey came bustling up out of another nearby Floo. "Thank Merlin you're here. She started having contractions in the middle of the ceremony."

"No, I started having contractions last night." She said, looking sheepish. "I just didn't realize that I was until my water broke during the ceremony." But this was no time to argue over this, she had to get to a bed and fast before she toppled over. Madame Pomfrey clucked her tongue and immediately conjured a gurney. Laying Hermione down on it, she wheeled her to a private wing of the maternity ward and instructed her to strip out of everything, leaving only the hospital gown she had provided. By the time Hermione did that, with a lot of help from Harry, things were really heating up. Hermione screamed with her contractions that got harder and closer together as time progressed. "Please, please, I need a pain potion, anything...please!" But Madame Pomfrey had given her the bad news early on as they were discussing birthing strategies...with Merlin's Syndrome, it was impossible to give any potions or use any spells without potentially interfering with the baby's already susceptible magical core and rendering the child a squib.

Harry hated to see Hermione in pain like this. If he had a say in it he'd give her the potion anyway. A squib was the same as a Muggle, and Muggles were fine by him. But the look in Hermione's eyes told him that if he did it he might be trying to find a testicle regrowing charm by nightfall. So Harry was forced to give Hermione his hand to crush while she screamed her way through another contraction. "It'll be alright, 'Mione. I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here and be with you through it all." His hand might not survive this, but that was why he'd given her his left hand and not his right. He needed it for his wand after all.

Screaming against another powerful contraction, she writhed in the bed, "I hate you, Harry Potter! How could you do this to me, you bloody **bastard**?" Her voice echoed down the halls, her screams reaching a fevered pitch. She was sweating out of every pore, her entire body was flushed...and she couldn't take a good breath in without struggling. "GET OUT OF HERE!"

Harry shook his head and gave her the sweetest smile he could. Thankfully Poppy had warned him a couple weeks ago to expect this kind of outburst. "Sorry, love. You're stuck with me. Voldemort, his inner circle and the Unspeakables all couldn't get rid of me. You're going to have to try harder than that." Okay, so maybe he didn't need to provoke her, but he couldn't help it. He leaned over to give her a soft kiss. "It'll be over soon, love; don't worry."

Tears leaked from her eyes as she panted, "Oh Harry, I didn't mean it." She kissed him ever so gently when he leaned up. "I'm just in so much pain...I didn't expect it to hurt this much!" The contractions were less than two minutes apart now and Poppy was preparing the entire delivery room for what could only be an explosive birth. On average, one out of three children with Merlin's Syndrome was born with severe health problems, two out of three had magic that flared up and destroyed things. So far the Potter baby looked healthy but she had to make sure...and she had the best mediwitches on staff to help her just in case. Hermione grunted and let out another scream as her contractions continued, "Please, Harry, I need to push...get Madame Pomfrey, get anyone!"

Harry nodded. "Love, Poppy is making sure that it's safe. You know as well as I do that you read those pamphlets on Merlin's. Sirius could come out and destroy the entire wing with his magic if we aren't properly prepared." He gave his wife a sympathetic smile while rubbing her forehead with his free hand. "Just hold on a couple more minutes and she'll be ready. I promise."

"HARRY I BLOODY WELL MEAN IT!" She screamed and ripped the blanket that had been warming her legs. There was no denying it; the baby's head was already starting to descend and she could feel the pressure rising. Grabbing the sides of the bed, she panted, "You have to deliver him! I can't hold him in any longer, Harry. **Please**," She cried and let out another blood-curdling scream. Harry better be ready to catch the baby in a blanket, because with her next contraction, she had no other choice but to push...and that was right now.

Harry, with skills only a professional level Quidditch seeker possessed, lunged to the foot of the bed and watched as the baby was coming. "Merlin's beard, you weren't kidding." He grabbed the nearest cloth he could find, coincidentally the blanket Hermione had just pulled aside, and held it under the baby's head as he started to come out. "Okay...umm... take a breath and push again." He was really wishing he'd read those books on births with Hermione last week. He was completely clueless on what to do. "Alright...I got his head. Just…err…okay stop pushing!"

Another ragged scream burst from her throat as she suddenly felt the overwhelming pressure release from her. At first there was no sound but as the baby kicked and moved, suddenly a wail pierced the room. The lights flickered and Hermione let out a triumphant cry. "He's here, he's finally bloody here. Oh Harry..." She looked over at her husband who was now looking like he had swallowed an entire bag of vomit flavored Bernie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. "Help, someone help!" Madame Pomfrey rushed into the room and gasped, "Merlin's balls!" Quickly she took the baby from Harry and gaped at them. This was highly unusual...

Harry caught the baby and looked down at the little guy who proved to have a set of lungs worthy of any Marauder. He looked up at Hermione and smiled then turned to madam Pomfrey. "I delivered my son." His stupid lopsided grin returned as he handed Sirius to Poppy. "I'm a fath-" Harry's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he hit the floor like a sack of potatoes. It was ironic really. Harry could defeat Voldemort and barely break a sweat, but when he had to deliver his own son, he passed out promptly after handing the baby off.

Hermione watched as Madame Pomfrey measured and weighed the baby, stepping over Harry as she did so. She also had another mediwitch help deliver the afterbirth and patch Hermione up. Before long, a seven pound, twenty inch long baby boy was placed in her arms and the tears wouldn't stop. "Can someone _ennervate_ my husband?" She asked softly, "I'd like him to meet his son for real this time. Now that he's not covered in goop…"

It was like they'd forgotten he was there. It wasn't until Hermione reminded them of the passed out savior of the world that they revived him. Harry spluttered and was helped to his feet by an orderly. He shook his head and had to steady himself for a moment before he chanced making it over to Hermione's side. "Hullo." He looked down at his son who had green eyes that were obviously darkened because of the mix with Hermione's chocolate ones. "Well, I must say he cleans up quite nicely." He wiggled a finger in front of Sirius' face and smiled as the baby sleepily swatted at the offending finger. "Hello, Sirius. Welcome to the world." Harry looked over at Hermione and leaned in, "I love you." He gently pressed his lips to her and only stopped kissing her when he felt a hard piece of paper hit him in the back of the head. "Ow!"

Sniffling softly, she leaned over and gave Harry a soft kiss. She was exhausted after having gone through the entire birth and she couldn't help but yawn as she leaned back against the bed. Madame Pomfrey had already scoured the sheets and helped hr get settled back into bed. "You saved us," She whispered, "You delivered your son. Thank you, love, thank you so much."

Harry rubbed his head and muttered, "No problem," While he bent down to pick up the envelope that had decided to attack him. His brow creased as he opened it up and read. "So...feel like Hogwarts next September? You know after we go on our honeymoon and take care of this little guy?" He held the parchment out to Hermione. "Dumbledore sure has weird timing. It's my letter of acceptance to the Defense job. And an invitation to have you and Sirius stay at the castle during the year so you won't be far from me." He grinned and leaned down to kiss the baby's head. "Lucky bloke gets to see Hogwarts before we ever did."

"You got the job?' Hermione smiled softly, "Let me see." She passed Sirius to him and grasped the letter. After a minute, she smiled, "That's wonderful. I'm glad Dumbledore is giving you some time to get settled in with us and the baby. Not to mention it'll be safer for us to raise him for the first year without exposing him to all the germs that go around school." She smiled and kissed the top of Sirius' head lightly, "I wouldn't want my beautiful boy getting sick," She said and then smiled at him, "I love you, Harry."

Harry took Sirius from her with a worried expression. The last time he'd held the boy he'd passed out. He certainly didn't want a repeat performance. But this time was different. Before he'd passed out form the shock of delivering the baby himself with no help. This time it was just holding his son. He leaned forward and rubbed his nose against the baby's. "I love you too, Hermione." Harry was about to kiss her when Sirius started to fuss. "Think he might be hungry?"

Hermione smiled and set the letter aside. When Sirius' wail pierced the room, her breasts tightened and she hissed in pain. "He must be! It's been a tough night for him. Not to mention I'm going to burst if I don't feed him right now." She took the child from him gently and positioned him near her breast. She'd read articles about Merlin's babies having trouble breastfeeding...but Sirius James was not one of them. He latched on, suckling in greedy pulls. Despite being born early, he was surprisingly hearty and hale. "Erm, Harry? I was wondering...do you think Sirius was conceived before our so called wedding? I mean, Madame Pomfrey was able to detect the pregnancy easily. You don't think...you know that we made love before all this, do you?"

Harry scratched his chin in thought. "Well, it's possible that we did. I mean there's no telling what we did really. What the twins gave us was essentially a lust potion, so I think the most likely scenario is that we slept together and then decided to get married after that. But with as much as was in our systems, I'd think we were shagging every time we got a free moment too. So there's telling really when it was that we conceived." Harry gave her a concerned look. "Why do you ask?" He hoped the possibility of Sirius being conceived before they were 'married' would affect the way she felt about the baby.

Could it be that they conceived him before a lust potion was even administered? Before this whole mess ever started? Nah, what were the odds of that anyway? She chuckled softly and rocked Sirius ever so gently as he nursed. "This has been the happiest day of my life." She said softly, "And it's all because of you. You have given me everything I have ever wanted...how can I ever repay you?"

Harry chuckled softly and stroked Sirius' head while the baby fed. "Well, pop a few more pups like this one, and we'll call it even." He gave her a bright smile and kissed her gently. "You don't owe me anything. You gave me everything I wanted as well. I'd say we're even." Harry pushed Hermione over on the bed so that there was room for him to lay down on it. Sure Sirius was already born, but he didn't want to chance anything by magically expanding the bed. Much safer to just push her over and climb in. Harry wrapped his arms around his wife and smiled. "So, we're finally a family...it feels nice."

Sirius finished up eating and Hermione burped him gently. A mediwitch came in and swaddled him, placing him in a bassinet beside the bed where Harry had climbed in. Kissing him tenderly, Hermione smiled and nodded, "Yes, you are my family, Sirius is my family. I love you...both of you." His whispered 'I love you' sent a thrill right to her heart as she closed her eyes and nestled in his arms. Finally she had found the secret of life, right there in his arms.

They were happy and whole, perfectly matched...and they had finally solved the mystery of marriage.

**The End**

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